^  V  ^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Li|28     |Z5 

1.1   l/^'Ka 

liilJ4U^ 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


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33  WMT  MAIN  STMIT 

WIUYU.rO.Y.  MSM 

(716)171-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Hittoripal  Microraproductions  /  Inatitut  Canadian  da  misroraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  avaiiabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  aignificantly  changa 
the  uaual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagte 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6a  et/ou  pellicul#e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 


titre  de  couverture  manque 

loured  maps/ 
Cartes  gAographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue 

Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I   Coloured  maps/ 

I      I    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 


I     I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  an  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Rali*  avac  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion  ' 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrAe  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  la  long  da  la  marge  IntArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
heve  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainas  pages  blanches  ajoutAas 
iors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxta, 
mais,  lorsqua  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  €t€  filmAas. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmantairas; 


L'Institut  a  microf llmA  la  mailleur  exemplaire 
qu'li  lui  a  4t«  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  dAtails 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  pauvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m*thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pagaa  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurAas  et/ou  pelliculAes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  dAcolorAes.  tachet6es  ou  piquAes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachtas 


r~~1  Pages  damaged/ 

r~n  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

fTTj  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I     I  Pages  detached/ 


D 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


rn   Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Qualit*  inigaia  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprand  du  material  supplAmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Adition  disponibie 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalament  ou  partiallement 
obscurcles  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure. 
etc..  ont  At*  filmies  i  nouveau  da  fa^on  A 
obtanir  la  mailleure  imaoa  possible. 


Tl 
to 


Tl 

P< 
oi 
fij 


0 
b< 
tl 

si 

fi 

si 

Ol 


T 
si 
T 

VI 

N 
dl 
ei 
b 
ri 
ri 

IT 


This  item  is  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  chaokad  botow/ 

Ca  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  indlqu*  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  1IX  22X 


12X 


lex 


aox 


aix 


MX 


MX 


»x 


n 

32X 


The  copy  filmad  hare  has  baan  raproduead  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  fiimA  f ut  raproduit  grica  k  la 
gAn6rositA  da: 

BibliothAque  nationala  du  Canada 


Tha  imagas  appearing  hara  ara  tha  iMSt  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  iagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  ara  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  beck  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  ara  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  imprea- 
sion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  Impression. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  4tS  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nettetA  de  I'exemplaire  film6,  at  en 
conformity  avec  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmaga. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  soil  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comports  une  empreinta 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen9ant  par  la 
pramlAre  page  qui  comporta  une  empreinta 
d'impreasion  ou  d'iliustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  lest  recorded  freme  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  la 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  la 
symbole  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 


(Maps,  plates,  cherts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  et 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  ara  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  es 
required.  The  following  diegrams  liluatrata  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fiimte  k  des  taux  de  rMuction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reprodult  en  un  seul  clichi,  il  est  fllmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArleur  gauche,  de  yeuche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  an  bes,  en  prenent  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcesseire.  Les  diagrammas  suivants 
iiiustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

iMH 


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T^^^^^mmmmsmmsm 


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-8000 


-  6000 


-  4000 


-  2000 


Level  of  Paci/ic 


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PrtUey  of  the. 
(lolunt  bia 


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Valley    of  Clark's  River 


% 


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Fremonf,i  Pealt 
la.sToft. 


^Q^^yMts 


s,23o  n. 


^Z^^ilj^ 


(^  PR  OF^I  L  E  ^) 

Shewing  the  general  features  of  the  Route  of  the  proposed 

Railro  a  dtoflie  Pacific  r^^-S^ 

from  Qlicago,IIl..to  the  Straits  of  Juan  De  Fuca  viattie 

VaUey  of  the  Upper  Missouri; 

a/id  i^  connection/  wUJv  LcLke  Superior.  ^ 
^ugP  US3.  by  E.  F.  JoTuisow,  CE. 


^ 


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osed 


via  the 


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1O0O0  - 


ftooo^ 


6000  - 


I 

^1 


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^ 


5: 


OcttLfi-       I    Level 


% 


4000  - 


c  .  V/V/v 


.n-^^'    '/,  ..-^  ^ 


/ 


RAILROAD  TO  THE  PACIFIC. 

J  C  h  A'  1,  O  f^ 

NOETHEEN  EOUTE.   C    > 


-'?3 


ITS  GENEEAL  CHAEACTEB, 


RELATIVE  MEEITS,  ETC. 


P» 


EDWIN  F.  JOHNSON,  C.  E. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


*>  ■  «i»  - 


NEW  YORK: 

IIAILBOAD  JOmtNAL  JOB  PBINTINa  OFFIOB,  122  NASSAU  STREBT. 

1854 


■  *"P=  -  rr^'^ff^tT^xrfix^f.w^yiBljnMJt^  IfVJ.llflJiJWHMjmi. 


plJ^UtlWW  i|.  I 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Oongreaa  in  the  yosr  1863, 

Bt  Kdwih  F,  JoHKsoir, 
fa  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  ConnecUcut. 


I 


INTRODUCTION. 


It  will,  doubtleRs,  be  deemed  presumptuous  by  many,  in  view 
of  the  fact,  that  surveys  are  now  in  progress  for  determining  the 
relative  merits  of  the  several  routes  proposed  for  the  Pacific  Kail- 
road,  that  any  one  should  attempt,  in  anticipation  of  the  results  of 
those  surveys,  an  investigation  of  the  subject,  for  the  purpose  of 
submitting  the  same  to  the  public. 

It  is  only  from  a  firm  conviction  that  the  evidence  already  pos- 
sessed is  suflScient  to  bring  the  mind  to  a  very  correct  conclusion, 
and  that  the  additional  information  to  be  derived  from  the  sur- 
veys, must  tend  to  confirm,  in  the  main,  that  conclusion,  that  the 
writer  is  induced  to  give  these  pages  to  the  press. 

The  project  of  a  Eailway  to  the  Pacific  is  one  of  transcendent 
importance,  in  many  points  of  view,  and  from  the  rapidity  with 
wluch  events  are  succeeding  each  other  in  our  history  as  a  nation, 
this  great  work,  will,  in  all  probability,  soon  be  commenced,  under 
eflficient  aid  derived  from  the  General  Government. 

It  is  very  important  that  the  best  route  or  routes  (if  more  than 
one  is  attempted)  should  be  selected,  any  error  or  mistake  in  this 
respect  cannot,  from  the  magnitude  of  the  undertaking,  be  easily 
remedied,  and  its  mischievous  consequences  will  extend  far  into 
the  future,  and  affect  the  interests  not  of  individuals,  or  of  com- 
munities, or  of  States  only,  but  of  the  whole  civilized  world. 

Upon  the  choice  of  routes  the  public  mind  is  now  evidently  vwy 


iv 


M 


4i    y 


%)    y 


much  divided,  partly  through  the  efforts  which  are  being  made  to 
render  certain  places  points  in  the  proposed  route,  but  mainly  it  is 
believed,  from  the  want  of  correct  information,  on  which  to  form 
a  judgment. 

If  these  pages  shall  fail  to  produce  conviction  as  to  the  prefer- 
ence, which  should  be  given  in  respect  to  the  several  routes  noticed, 
their  perusal  will,  the  writer  trusts,  aid  in  removing  many  erro- 
neous impressions,  and  prepare  the  mind  for  a  better  understand- 
ing and  appreciation  of  the  subject  in  all  of  its  bearings  whenever 
the  reports  of  the  surveys  now  in  progress  shall  be  rendered. 

The  authorities  which  have  been  consulted  in  relation  to  the 
subject  are,  it  is  believed,  all  named  as  occasion  offered  for  a 
reference  to  them,  and  it  has  been  the  aim  to  present  their  testi- 
mony in  their  own  words  that  the  reader  may  judge  for  himself  as 

to  its  tendency  and  force. 

The  labor  of  collecting  this  testimony  and  putting  it  into  the 

shape  here  offered  to  the  public,  has  been  mostly  performed 

amid  the  active  duties  of  a  profession,  under  circumstances  which 

compel  the  writer  to  solicit  the  indulgence  of  the  publio  for  any 

defects  which  may  be  found  in  the  work. 

EDWIN  F.  JOHNSON. 

MiMletown   Conn.  1853. 


GENEEAL   VIEW. 


-«•► 


The  necessity  for  a  Railway  communication  between  the  princi- 
pal Atlantic  cities  of  the  United  States,  and  the  shores  of  the  Pa- 
cific, has  now  become  so  apparent  that  public  attention  is  being 
particularly  directed  to  the  best  method  of  accomplishing  the 
object 

The  points  on  the  Pacific  Coast  desirable  to  be  reached,  as  hav- 
ing fluitable  harbors,  or  conveniences  for  shipping,  and  as  being 
favorably  situated  for  concentrating  the  business  of  that  portion  of 
the  Union,  are  San  Diego  and  San  Francisco,  in  California,  the 
Ck)lumbia  Eiver,  in  Oregon,  and  the  waters  connected  with  the 
Straits  of  Juan  De  Fuca,  in  the  new  territory  of  Washington, 

The  entire  Pacific  coast  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States, 
presents  no  other  so  eligible  points  as  these. 

Of  the  places  named,  the  wat6rs  connected  with  the  Straits  of 
De  Fuca,  afford  harbors  and  suitable  sites  for  a  maratime  city, 
greatly  superior,  probably,  to  the  others.  The  relative  merits  of 
these  several  points  for  a  great  commercial  mart  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  will  be  a  subject  for  future  consideration. 

The  prominent  points  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  or  those  which 
are  most  favored  in  respect  to  climate,  and  which  command  most 
of  the  capital  of  the  country,  and  within  which  is  concentrated  the 
greatest  amount  of  commercial  and  manufacturing  interest,  are 
Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore. 


^i 


I  i 


I'-     ■■■til 


|)    Ih; 


Of  these,  New  York  is  decidedly  the  first,  and  Philadelphia, 
only  eighty  miles  distant  from  it  in  a  direct  line,  the  second.  Of 
the  others,  one  is  situated  at  the  north,  and  the  other  at  the  south 
of  the  two  just  named. 

The  city  of  New  York,  from  its  commanding  position  in  respect 
to  the  navigation  of  the  Atlantic  and  of  the  great  Lakes,  and  the 
commercial  preeminence  it  has  already  attained,  is  clearly  the 
most  desirable  single  point  on  the  Atlantic  to  be  connected  with 
the  Hoad  in  question. 

In  determining  the  most  eligible  route,  from  New  York  city 
westward,  for  the  proposed  Eoad,  it  is  necessary  to  consider  the 
.character  of  the  country  through  which  it  is  to  pass,  its  topo- 
graphical features,  soil,  climate  and  mineral  resources,  and  any 
other  objects  of  importance  in  a  military  or  commercial  view, 

A  Bailroad  to  the  Pacific  is  not  only  essential  as  a  means  of  a 
direct  communication  with  our  own  possessions,  now  rising  rapid- 
ly into  importance  on  that  portion  of  the  Continent,  but  if  rightly 
located,  will  constitute  the  channel  through  which  must  pass  much 
of  the  trade  and  nearly  all  the  travel  between  the  countries  and 
cities  situated  on  both  shores  of  the  northern  Atlantic,  and  the 
eastern  coast  of  Asia,  and  which  must  afford  an  amount  of  busi- 
ness and  revenne  to  the  Eoad,  exceeding  probably  at  first  what 
may  be  furnished  to  it  from  the  other  sources  within  our  own 
borders. 

The  eastern  portions  of  Asia,  including  China  and  Japan,  and 
countries  adjacent,  which  are  known  to  contain  a  population  of 
many  millions,  in  an  advanced  stage  of  civilization,  in  a  condition 
to  furnish  a  very  profitable  commerce;  a  commerce  which  lias 
greatly  enriched  all  that  have  hitherto  participated  in  it,  are  situ- 
ated from  threo  thousand  to  seven  thousand  miles  only  from  our 
Pacific  coast. 

The  place  in  Eastern  Asia  which  is  the  most  central  to  this  large 
population,  and  to  the  great  cities  of  Canton,  Nankin,  and  Pekin, 
in  China,  and  Jeddo,  in  Japan,  containing  each  from  one  to  two 
millions  of  inhabitants;  and  which,  under  the  present  government, 


■$ 


i 


as  a  free  port  is  accessible,  and  can  be  occupied  by  our  vessels, 
without  interfering  with  European  powers,  is  the  city  of  Shanghai, 
in  Ciiina,  situated  on  the  Tung  Hai  or  Eastern  Sea,  near  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Yang  Tse  Kiang,  the  great  river  of  China. 

From  New  Tork  city  to  this  point,  the  shortest  and  most  direct 
line  (which  is  indicated  by  the  arc  of  a  great  circle  of  the  earth 
connecting  the  two)  passes  considerably  to  the  north  of  the  forty- 
ninth  degree  of  north  latitude,  where  the  latter  meets  the  Pacific, 
and  hence  the  Straits  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  the  most  northern  of  the 
places  named  on  our  Pacific  coast,  are  situated  nearest  to  the 
direct  line  to  China,  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  and  are 
in  this  particular,  the  most  suitable  for  the  "Western  terminus  of 
the  proposed  Kailroad. 

In  proceeding  from  New  York  City  to  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca, 
the  position  of  the  great  Lakes  and  of  the  international  boundary 
make  it  necessary  to  deflect  the  line  so  far  to  the  south  as  to  pass 
the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Michigan. 

The  City  of  Chicago,  which  is  the  nearest  port  of  any  magnitude 
to  that  portion  of  the  lake,  becomes,  therefore,  a  point  in  the  pro- 
posed route.  This  city  is  also  indicated  as  a  suitable  point  on  the 
lino  of  the  proposed  Koad,  from  its  probable  future  relation  to  the 
internal  commerce  of  the  United  States.  Its  position  at  the  eouth- 
wcstem  limit  of  the  unrivalled  navigation  of  the  great  lakes,  and 
the  outlets  therefrom  to  the  Atlantic,  and  the  vast  and  very  fertile 
region  commercially  dependent  upon  it  at  the  west,  a  region  which 
is  rapidly  filling  up  with  a  population  unsurpassed  for  intelligence 
and  enterprise,  give  assurance  of  its  becoming  ultimately  the 
greatest  of  the  very  largo  and  flourishing  inland  cities  of  our 
Union,  and  as  such,  would  justify  a  departure,  to  a  certain  extent, 
from  the  direct  course  of  the  proposed  Road,  oven  if  there  were 
no  other  reasons  such  as  have  already  been  stated  for  such  a  de- 
viation. 

From  the  city  of  Chicago  lines  of  Railroad,  by  very  direct 
routes,  are  either  already  built  or  in  a  course  of  construction,  lead- 
ing to  all  the  prominent  cities  named,  and  others  on  the  Atlantic 


■•"«  iJ^^i|Pm^ppq)pi9"^«P**9"*? 


lV^^^«wn^ 


seaboard,  and  hence  there  is  no  occasion  for  any  further  notice  of 
this  portion  of  the  route. 

The  city  of  Chicago  is  distant  from  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca,  in 
a  direct  line,  1,752  miles,  as  computed  from  the  latitudes  and  lon- 
gitudes of  4;he  two  places.  This  line  is  represented  upon  the 
accompanying  map,  and  appears  as  a  curved  line  crossing  the 
Missouri  River  in  lat  46°  N.  nearly,  and  passing  to  the  north  of 
the  Great  Falls  on  that  river. 

In  examining  the  position  of  this  line,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  prin- 
cipal obstacle  to  the  attainment  of  a  direct  route  for  a  Railroad 
between  the  points  named,  is  the  prolongation,  to  the  north  and 
east,  of  the  chain  of  mountains,  known  as  the  "Wind  River  or 
Black  Mountains,  which  extend  from  near  the  South  Pass  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  north-easterly  between  the  Yellow  Stone  and 
Missouri  Rivers,  to  near  the  latitude  of  48°  N.,  and  thus  cause 
the  great  bend  in  the  direction  of  the  latter  river  in  its  course  to 
the  ocean  in  the  latitude  named. 

There  are  other  obstacles  which  are  also  of  a  serious  character 
on  the  direct  course.  These  are  the  crossings  of  the  Mississippi, 
Missouri,  and  Yellow  Stone  rivers,  where  they  are  navigated  by 
large  boats ;  the  range  of  mountains  between  the  Yellow  Stone 
and  upper  Missouri,  tnd  the  more  broken  and  unfavorable  charac- 
ter of  the  surface  generally  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  These  latter,  which  lie  at  the  sources  ot 
the  Missouri,  present,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  under  a  slight 
deviation  from  a  direct  course,  no  very  serious  obstacle  to  the 
passage  of  a  Railroad. 

The  chain  of  Wind  River  and  Yellow  Stone  Mountains,  and  the 
other  principal  obstacles  named,  are  all  entirely  avoided  by  car- 
rying the  line  direct  from  Chicago  to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Mis- 
souri, above  mentioned ;  a  departure  from  the  direct  course  which 
will  not  very  much  increase  the  distance,  and  which  is  fully  com- 
pensated for,  irrespective  of  its  superiority  from  the  circumstances 
named,  by  the  greater  facilities  which  the  country  affords,  for  the 
construction  of  a  Raihroad  in  the  supply  of  timber  and  other 


I 


9 


materials,  and  in  the  opportunity  afforded  f9r  a  connection  by  a 
branch  Railroad  with  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior,  and  through 
that  with  the  chain  of  inland  waters  of  which  that  lake  forms  a 
part 

From  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Missouri  the  route  proposed  is 
along  the  northern  side  of  that  river  to  one  of  several  Passes  which 
are  known  to  exist  between  its  sources  and  those  of  the  Flathead 
or  Clark's  branch  of  the  Columbia  river ;  and  thence  along  the 
\  valley  of  Clark's  river,  and  of  the  Columbia,  to  some  point  in  the 

vicmity  of  Fort  Okanagan.  Here  the  proposed  route  leaves  the 
Columbia,  and  after  sunnounting  the  elevated  ground  which  forms 
the  northern  extremity  of  the  Cascade  or  President's  range  of 
mountains,  terminates  at  the  desired  point  on  the  Pacific. 

To  return  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  These  mountains,  which 
separate  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  from  the  Pacific,  do  not,  at  the 
place  proposed  for  crossing  them,  possess  the  formidable  character 
as  mountain  barriers  which  pertain  to  them  in  other  places.  They 
are  here  very  much  reduced  in  height,  and  are  penetrated  by 
Passes  or  defiles  which  are  evidently  very  feasible  for  a  Railroad. 

The  Rocky  Mountains,  instead  of  being  a  lofty  chain  of  uniform 
or  nearly  uniform  elevation,  extending  from  the  Mexican  Andes 
northward  to  the  Arctic  Seas,  appear,  upon  examination,  to  be 
arranged  in  a  series  of  groups,  similar,  although  on  a  very  much 
larger  scale,  to  the  White  Mountains  of  Now  Hampshire,  or  the 
Adirondacks  of  New  York.  In  elevation  their  highest  peaks 
within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  are  equalled,  if  not  sur- 
passed, by  those  of  another  and  parallel  range  lying  nearer  to  the 
Pacific,  and  known  as  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  or  Presi- 
dent's range  of  mountains. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  United  States  are  two  very  marked 
depressions  in  the  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  One  where 
the  sources  of  the  river  Gila  approach  the  waters  of  the  Rio 
Grande  Del  Norte,  near  the  Mexican  boundary,  the  other  at  the 
place  already  named  between  the  sources  of  the  Missouri  and  the 
Columbia. 


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'  Between  these  is  an  extended  group  or  series  of  mountains,  vary- 
ing in  height  at  different  points,  and  divided  by  passes  into  lesser 
groups,  from  whose  slopes  flow  the  waters  of  the  Columbia,  the 
Colorado,  the  Eio  Grande  Del  Norte,  and  the  Missouri  and  Mis- 
sissippi. The  mountains  which  compose  this  immense  group  are 
situated  upon  a  plain  elevated  on  their  southern  and  eastern  side 
4,C0O  to  5,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea ;  and  on  their  north- 
ern and  western  side  from  3,000  to  4,000  feet  above  the  same  level. 

The  Mount  Washington  of  the  northern  section  of  this  group  is 
Freeraont's  Peak,  near  the  South  Pass,  so  called,  rising  to  the 
height,  according  to  the  measurement  of  the  Explorer,  from  whom 
it  takes  its  name,  of  13,570  feet  above  the  Ocean  level.  This  and 
the  three  Tetons  and  the  three  Buttes  are  the  most  noted  points 
in  this  portion  of  the  series.  All  of  them  being  visible  to  travellers 
by  the  South  Pass  for  some  distance  along  their  route. 

From  these  elevated  points  proceed  ranges  in  various  directions. 
The  Bear  Mountains  to  the  south.  The  Green  River  Mountains 
forming  the  main  range  or  Rocky  Mountains  proper,  to  the  south- 
east. The  Wind  River  and  Black  Mountain  chain  to  the  north- 
east ;  the  Salmon  River  Mountains  to  the  west ;  the  Kooskootskie 
Mountains  to  the  north-west,  and  the  continuation  northerly  of  the 
main  range  to  the  place  of  general  depression,  which  is  in  a  line 
nearly  with  the  valleys  of  the  Upper  Missouri  and  Clark's  branch 
of  the  Columbia — a  depression  which  may  be  considered  as  ex- 
tending through  three  or  four  degrees  of  latitude,  since  within 
tltfese  limits  no  less  than  five  Passes  are  known  to  exist,  from  such 
partial  explorations  as  have  thus  far  been  made. 
,  In  proceeding  north  beyond  the  latitude  of  forty-nine  or  fifty 
degrees,  the  mountain  chain  again  rises,  attaining  its  highest  eleva- 
tion in  the  Caledonia  group,  in  British  North  America,  in  latitude 
fifty-two  or  fifty-four  degrees  north,  near  which  are  found  the  lofty 
peaks  of  Mt.  Hooker  and  Mt.  Brown,  the  former  15,700  feet,  and 
the  latter  16,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Gathered  about 
these,  or  issuing  from  them  are  other  peaks  and  ranges  forming  the 
series  or  group  from  whence  flow  the  waters  of  the  north  brand  i 


11 


of  the  Columbia  and  Fraser's  Biver  on  the  west,  McEenzie's 
Kiver  on  the  north,  and  Peace  Biver  and  the  Saskatshawan  on 
the  east. 

The  length  of  the  route  as  above  described,  from  the  city  of 
Chicago  to  the  Pacific,  is  estimated  as  follows,  vi^ : — 

In  Illinois, 70  miles. 

Wisconsin, 290 

Minnesota, 620 

Missouri  (N.  W.)  Territory,      -        -  420 
Washington    "  .        ►        .      560 


(( 


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Total,        ....       1,960 

Of  this  distance  nine  hundred  and  ninety  miles,  or  about  one 
half  of  the  whole,  are  embraced  under  existing  acts  of  incorpora- 
tion, granted  by  the  several  States  and  Territories  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  Bailroad  on  the  proposed  route,  as  follows : 

The  portion  in  Illinois  is  included  in  the  charter  of  the  "  Illinois 
and  Wisconsin  Railroad  Company^  That  in  Wisconsin  in  the 
charter  of  the  "  Rock  River  Valley  Union  Railroad  Company  ;  " 
and  that  through  Minnesota  in  the  charter  of  the  "Minnesota 
Western  Rail/oad  Company." 

The  portion  of  the  line  in  Illinois  is  located  and  under  contract 
Forty  miles  of  it  are  graded,  and  twenty-five  miles  of  track  have 
been  laid  from  Chicago  west,  and  a  considerable  expenditure  has 
been  made  for  equipments.  The  Company  will  soon  commence 
the  business  of  transportation,  and  the  Bead  will  be  completed  to 
the  Wisconsin  line  by  the  first  day  of  July  next 

Of  the  portion  in  Wisconsin,  fifty-five  miles  are  located  and  un- 
der contract,  and  the  grading  is  in  progress  at  various  points. 
This  portion  passes  through  Janesville  in  the  Rock  Biver  Valley, 
the  principal  town  in  the  interior  of  the  State,  and  extends  to 
l^Iadisoa  the  capital  of  the  State.  This  portion  will  also  be  com- 
pleted by  the  first  day  of  July  next 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  state  here  that  the  same  company 
are  autl  orized  to  construct  a  branch  from  Janesville  northerly 


12 


t-  n 


li 


along  tlie  Kock  Biver  Valley  to  Lake  Superior.  This  branch  is 
now  under  contract  and  building  to  Fond  du  Lao,  on  the  "Winne- 
bago Lake,  eighty-six  miles  from  Janesville.  Forty  miles  of  it 
are  graded  and  the  track  laid  for  half  that  diiatance,  and  trans;jor- 
tation  has  already  boen  commenced  upon  it.  '  ' 

This  branch,  when  completed,  will  extend  to  the  oOppei  region 
of  Lake  Superior,  and  connect  with  the  navigation  of  that  Lake, 
and  as  it  passes  through  a  rich  and  productive  portion  of  the 
State,  will  eventually  do  a  large  business.    ;    n  - 

From  Madison,  on  the  main  line  northwesterly,  surveys  have 
only  been  carried  a  short  distance  beyond  the  Wisconsin  Biver. 
For  the  remaining  distance,  to  the  Minnesota  line,  the  ground  has 
not  yet  been  instrumentally  examined,  with  a  view  to  the  location 
of  a  Bailroad.  Measurements  for  other  purposes  have,  however, 
been  madci  sufficient  to  show  its  general  character,  and  that  two 
routes,  at  least,  exist,  either  of  which  are  very  favorable  for  the 
purpose. 

In  Minnesota  a  survey  or  reconnoisance  has  been  instituted  un- 
der the  late  Act  of  Congress,  making  an  appropriation  for  the  ex- 
ploration of  several  routes  for  the  Pacific  Boad.  Those  surveys 
for  the  line  in  question,  are  under  the  direction  of  Gov.  Stevens  of 
the  new  territory  of  Washington,  who  will  continue  his  reconnoi- 
sance to  the  Pacific,  upon  the  route  of  the  proposed  Boad. 

The  charter  in  Minnesota  is  a  very  liberal  one.  It  secures  to 
the  Company  all  l|inds  which  may  be  granted  by  Congress  in  aid 
of  the  road  within  the  limits  of  the  territory,  without  further 
action  on  the  part  of  the  government  of  the  territory,  and  is  held 
by  the  same  parties  who  are  engaged  in  constructing  the  lines 
in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin.  '    ,  ^. 

The  Companies  in  the  two  latter  States,  have  entered  into  an 
agreement  authorized  by  their  respective  Charters,  to  consolidate 
and  bring  them  under  one  common  management,  and  a  similar 
arrangement  is  to  be  entered  into  with  the  Company  in  Minnesota, 
as  soop  as  an  organization  is  effected  in  that  territory.       --x    i 

The  Boad  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  is  being  built  with  the  wide 


i 


4 


gauge  of  six  feet,  a  very  proper  gauge  for  a  Road  of  the  char- 
acter  of  the  one  in  question.  Arrangements  for  harbor  accommo- 
dations and  necessary  depot  grounds,  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  and 
at  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior  and  elsewhere,  have  been  made, 
and  are  on  a  scale  commensurate  with  the  importance  and  magni- 
tude of  the  work.  , 

The  population  along  and  near  to  the  located  portion,  is  ah-eady 
large,  aid  is  very  rapidly  increasing.  Irrespective  of  the  continu- 
ation to  the  Pacific,  the  importance  of  the  several  Knes  named  in 
Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Mmnesota,  to  accommodate  the  region 
of  country  lying  west  of  the  great  Lakes,  is  such  as  to  place  them 
m  the  very  first  class  of  main  trunk  Roads. 


'S     'r  ,-11  I'SJ;' 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PROPOSED  ROUTE. 


CHARACTER   OP   THE    SURFACE,    AND   ESTIMATE   OP   COST. 


It 


ti 


it    ■■:- 
I    II- 


The  general  topographical  view,  which  has  been  presented  of 
the  country  for  the  entire  distance  from  Chicago  to  the  Pacific, 
although  suflScient,  perhaps,  to  show  the  probabiUty  of  a  favorable 
route  for  a  Bailway  being  obtained,  is  not  complete  enough  in  its 
details,  to  famish  the  requisite  data  for  arriving  at  a  satisfactory 
conclusion  in  respect  to  its  gradients  and  cost,  and  other  circum* 
stances  important  to  inspire  confidence  in  an  enterprise  of  so  great 
magnitude. 

Fortunately  the  information  which  is  wanting,  is  derivable  from 
various  sources,  to  a  degree  which  leaves  no  doubt  of  the  general 
character  of  the  proposed  route,  both  in  respect  to  its  probable 
cost  and  to  its  efficiency  for  the  purposes  designed,  and  also  in 
reference  to  its  superiority,  when  compared  with  other  lines  or 
routes  which  have  been  proposed  for  efiecting  the  same  object 

The  elevation  of  Lake  Michigan  above  the  sea  level,  is  placed 
by  most  writers  at  578  feet,  or  thirteen  feet  only  higher  than  Lake 
Erie,  which  is  known  to  be  565  feet,  by  several  lines  of  level  car- 
ried to  the  tide  waters  of  the  Hudson. 

The  estimated  difference  of  thirteen  feet  is  probably  somewhat 
less  than  the  actual  difference.  The  error,  if  any,  is  not  impor- 
tant to  this  enquiry. 

14 


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P   COST. 


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Between  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Mississippi  River  the  surface 
of  the  country,  although  considerably  varied,  has  no  very  marked 
features  produced  by  any  very  great  difference  in  elevation  of  its 
several  portions.  Lapham,  in  his  work  on  "Wisconsin,  states  that 
"there  are  no  mountains,  properly  speaking,  in  Wisconsin,  the 
whole  being  one  vast  plain  varied  only  by  the  river  hills  and  tlio 
gentle  swells  or  undulations  usually  denominated  rolling.  This 
plain  lies  at  an  elevation  of  from  600  to  1,500  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  Ocean.  The  highest  lands  are  those  forming  the  dividing 
ridge  between  the  waters  of  Lake  Superior  and  the  Mississippi. 
From  this  ridge  there  is  a  gradual  descent  to  the  south  and  soutli* 
west." 

This  gradual  decline  of  the  general  surface  of  the  country 
is  continued  far  down  into  Illinois.  The  portion  of  it  from  the 
latitude  of  Green  Bay  south  is  much  of  it  prairie — ^but  there  is 
both  in  northern  Illinois  and  southern  "Wisconsin  an  ample  supply 
of  timber  of  the  best  description  for  Railroad  purposes,  consisting 
principally  of  oak,  of  which  the  white  and  burr  oak  is  the  most 
abundant.  Pine,  of  which  there  is  a  large  supply  in  northern 
Wisconsin,  is  not  found  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  or  in 
Illinois. 

Messrs.  Foster  and  Whitney  in  their  description  of  the  country 
south  of  Lake  Superior,  represent  the  line  of  summits  which  sep 
arate  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Lawrence  system  of  waters,  in 
northern  Wisconsin  as  elevated  about  1,500  feet  above  the  Sea. 
This  higher  region  is  primitive  in  its  formation,  a  character  which 
does  not  attach  to  any  portion  of  the  country  in  Illinois  or  Wis- 
consin traversed  by  the  line  of  the  proposed  Railroad. 

From  Chicago  via  Janesville  to  Madison,  the  capital  of  Wis- 
consin, 125  miles,  the  Road  as  located  is  as  near  to  a  direct  line  as 
it  is  possible  to  place  it,  and  differs  in  length  only  a  fraction  of  a 
mile  from  a  straight  line. 

The  maximum  gradient  on  this  portion  is  40  feet  in  one  direction, 
and  30  feet  in  the  other,  the  average  rise  and  fall  for  the  entire  lino 
being  only  16  feet  per  mile. 


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16 

From  Madison  to  the  Wisconsin,  or  La  Belle  River,  the  prelim- 
inary survey  gives  forty  feet  per  mile  as  the  maximum  gradient. 

The  Wisconsin  River,  which  is  navigable  to  the  Mississippi,  is 
near  the  point  of  crossing,  772  feet  above  the  Ocean  level.  If 
crossed  at  an  elevation  of  ninety  feet  above  highest  water,  to  en- 
able the  class  of  steamers  navigating  it  to  pass  underneath,  which 
ia  practicable,  as  the  banks  on  both  sides  are  in  many  places  suf- 
ficiently elevated  and  bold  for  the  purpose,  the  grade  line  will  be 
elevated  eight  hundred  and  eighty-two  feet  nearly  above  the 
Sea.    Distance  from  Madison  23  miles. 

From  the  Wisconsin  River  to  the  Mississippi,  at  Prairie  La 
Crosse,  the  distance  is  estimated  at  92  miles.  The  ground  between 
these  points  rises  to  an  elevation  of  about  1,400  feet  above  the  Sea. 
Recent  examinations  show  a  depression  at  one  point,  between  the 
Lemonwier  and  La  Crosse  Rivers,  200  to  300  feet  lower.  A  pre- 
liminary survey  extending  one  half  of  the  distance,  gives  for  the 
maximum  grade  40  feet  per  mile,  and  it  is  quite  certain  there  need 
be  no  gradient  exceeding  that  amount  for  the  remainder  of  the 
distance  to  the  Mississippi. 

At  La  Crosse  the  elevation  of  the  line  is  700  feet  nearly  above 
the  Ocean  level.  From  thence  along  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
Mississippi  to  the  head  of  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  the  rise  is  about 
120  feet,  the  estimated  elevation  of  the  line  at  that  place  being  820 
feet. 

From  the  sources  of  the  Lemonwier  River,  the  line,  instead  of 
descending  to  the  Mississippi  at  La  Crosse,  may  be  carried  along 
the  table  land  of  the  interior,  where  the  cost  of  construction  may 
be  less,  but  the  line  will  be  more  undulating,  and  distance  about 
the  same.  This  line  if  adopted  must  be  placed  far  enough  from 
the  river  to  avoid  the  couleis  or  bassiires,  as  the  deep  ravines  are 
sometimes  called,  which  characterize  the  valleys  of  the  several 
tributaries  of  the  Mississippi  in  the  vicinity  of  the  latter  river 
throughout  the  entire  distance  in  question. 

Upon  this  route  the  line  will  necessarily  approach  the  Missis- 
sippi at  the  mouth  of  the  La  Croix  River,  the  western  boundary 


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of  Wisconsin,  and  from  that  point  to  the  Falls  will  be  m  the 
vicinity  of  the  Mississippi  River,  passing,  like  the  other  line, 
through  St.  Pauls,  the  capital  of  Minnesota,  a  point  named  in  the 
charter  through  that  Territory. 

Upon  the  river  route  from  Madison  to  La  Crosse  the  surface  is 
probably  more  broken  and  difficult  than  for  the  same  distance  from 
Madison  on  the  interior  route,  but  on  neither  are  there  any  diffi- 
culties or  obstacles  of  a  very  serious  nature,  such  as  are  of  frequent 
occurrence  upon  Railroads  in  the  Eastern  States. 

From  La  Crosse  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  the  line  occupies 
a  position  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  a  distance  esti- 
mated at  1 45  miles.  In  this  distance  are  several  high  bluffs  of  Ume- 
stone  and  sand-rock,  fonning  a  striking  feature  in  the  scenery  of 
that  part  of  the  river.  These  wall-like  cliffs  have  in  general 
towards  their  bases,  a  tahts  or  gradual  slope  extending  to  the  water 
formed  by  fragments  of  rock  and  earth,  deiached  from  the  preci- 
pices above,  the  accumulation  of  ages,  affording  in  connection  with 
the  character  of  the  rock,  and  of  the  river,  facilities  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  Railway  far  greater  than  are  usually  met  with  on 
Roads  similarly  situated  in  other  sections  of  the  country,  and  much 
less  expensive  than  the  Roads  now  in  operation  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Hudson,  the  Delaware,  or  the  Susquehanna.  Upon  this  line  no 
gradient  higher  than  20  or  25  feet  per  mile  will  be  required  along 
the  river,  a  feature  favorable  to  its  adoption,  provided  it  is  equally 
eligible  in  other  respects. 

A  better  point  than  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  cannot  be  selected 
for  crossing  the  Miwsissippi  River  with  the  proposed  Railroad. 
One  nearly  as  good  may,  perhaps,  be  found  at  some  one  of  the 
Utipids  above,  if  it  shall  be  deemed  advi-sable  to  continue  the  line 
farther  up  on  the  east  side  t)f  the  river. 

The  Falls  of  St,  Anthony  are  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the 

Mississippi  for  the  largest  class  of  boats.     The  descent  of  the  river 

at  these  falls  is  51  feet,  of  which  about  18  or  20  feet  is  perpendicu- 

l.ir.    The  river  at  the  Falls  is  divided  into  two  channels,  by  an 

inland  which  is  300  feet  wide     The  channel  on  the  eai<tcrn  side  in 
2 


'  i 


18 

651  feet  in  width,  and  on  the  western  930  feet,  making  the  entire 
distance  from  shore  to  shore  across  the  island  1881  feet. 

From  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthonv,  the  direction  of  the  line  is  such 
as  to  keep  it  within  the  iuuiiodiaio  viuiaity  of  the  Mississippi,  for  a 
distance  of  60  to  70  miles.  In  this  distance  the  valley  is  more  open, 
and  the  Road  can  b?  constructed  probably  at  less  cost  than  along 
the  valley  below.  The  Eiver  then  bears  to  the  north  to  where  it 
finds  its  sources  in  the  Hauteurs  dcs  tcrres,  or  pine  covered  table 
lands,  which  separate  its  waters  from  those  of  the  Red  River  of 
the  North,  and  which  are  elevated  1000  to  1700  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea. 

These  heights  are  crossed  by  the  proposed  line  a  little  to  the 
north  of  where  the  general  level  of  the  plateau  rises  to  meet  the 
higher  elevation  of  the  Cotcau  des  FrairieSy  which  ai  o  situated 
between  the  waters  of  the  river  St.  Peters  and  the  river  Jacques, 
and  which  are  elevated  in  latitude  46°  N.,  2,000  feet  nearly  above 
the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  elevation  of  the  ground  therefore  at  the  summit,  over  which 
the  line  passes,  is  probably  1700  feet  or  thereabouts,  making  from 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  an  ascent  of  about  900  feet  only,  the 
most  of  which  is  to  be  overcome  in  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
miles,  estimating  from  the  place  where  tlie  line  leaves  the  vicinity 
of  the  Mississippi  River,  as  above  described. 

The  view  from  the  highest  part  of  the  Coteau  dcs  x)rairics  is 
described  by  Nicolet  as  "  most  beautiful,  overlooking  the  iuimenso 
green  turf  of  the  valley  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  and  of  the 
forest  capped  summits  of  the  Hauteurs  dcs  tcrres  that  surround  tlu? 
sources  of  the  Missir^sippi,  and  the  granite  valley  of  the  Upper  K>t. 
Teters." 

The  elevation  above  given  of  the  country  after  leaving  the  Wis- 
consin  River,  are  derived  mainly  from  barometrical  measurements, 
made  by  I.  N.  Nicolet,  while  exploring  under  the  direction  of  tlie 
AVar  department  in  the  years  1836-7-8  and  9,  the  valleys  of  tlio 
Upper  Mississippi  and  Missouri,  and  the  country  between  tlioin, 
and  the  Eod  River  of  the  north ;  measurements  which  appear  to 


19 


)  entire 

is  such 
)i,  for  a 
i-e  open, 
in  along 
,vhere  it 
id  taV)lo 
[liver  of 
30ve  the 

e  to  the 
meet  the 
situated 
Jacques, 
•ly  above 

er  which 
ing  from 
jnly,  tlio 
undred 
vicinity 

(dries  is 
ninienso 
d  of  the 

Dund  tlie 
•)pcr  St. 

,he  Wis. 

roments, 
n  of  the 

'S  of  the 
n  them, 
ipeur  to 


have  been  made  with  much  care  and  skill,  and  which  have  been 
found  to  be  very  correct,  so  far  as  they  have  been  tested  by  other* 
sincennade. 

The  descent  of  the  Red  River  from  Lake  Traverse  to  Lake 
Winnepeg,  where  it  is  853  feet  above  the  sea,  is  estimated  by  Col. 
Long,  at  200  feet,  and  as  the  distance  is  600  miles,  the  average 
descent  is  one-third  of  one  foot  per  mile,  which  accords  nearly 
with  estimates  since  made  by  Mr.  Owen.  The  upper  portion  of 
the  river  has  a  descent  undoubtedly  greater  than  this.  The  river 
is  navigable,  and  this  navigation  extends  across  to  the  f^t.  Peters, 
according  to  Col.  Long,  so  that  canoes  of  two  tons  burden  pass 
from  the  waters  of  the  one  to  those  of  the  other. 

The  line  as  proposed  crosses  the  Red  River  about  forty  miles 
below  Lake  Traverse,  at  an  elevation  probably  of  about  1000  or 
1100  feet  above  the  sea  level,  making  the  descent  from,  the 
Hauteurs  ties  terres  to  the  place  of  crossing  about  700  feet. 

From  the  Mississippi  to  the  Red  River  the  country  is  rolling, 
the  surface  not  being  sufficiently  varied  to  have  any  very  strongly 
marked  features,  and  like  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  below,  is 
well  supplied  with  timber. 

From  the  Red  River  to  the  last  crossing  of  the  Shayen-oju,  its 
main  west  branch,  a  distance  of  about  50  miles,  the  lino  continues 
on  ground,  which  if  not  entirely  level  has  a  remarkably  even  sur- 
face, being  described  by  Mr.  Owen,  as  a  "  great  Savanna,"  "a  dead 
level  plain,"  "  the  channels  of  the  streams  being  formed  by  exca- 
vation in  the  alluvial  deposite,  rather  than  by  any  depression  in 
the  surface  of  the  country,"  a  formation  which  "  extends  all  the 
way  down  the  valley." 

Col.  Long  describes  it  as  a  "  broad  expanse  of  verdant  prairie, 
spreading  beyond  the  utmost  extent  of  vision,  and,  excepting  the 
margins  of  the  river  and  those  of  its  tributary  streams,  which  are 
fringed  with  trees  and  shrubbery,  there  is  very  little  to  interrupt 
the  simplicity  and  uniformity  of  the  scenery.  Scarcely  is  there  an 
imdulation  to  variegate  tho  prospect."  The  trees  which  fringe 
tiie  water  courses  consist  of  "  several  varieties  of  oak,  white  and 


1 


¥  m 


f  M 


f:: 


i  'f 


m 


rod  elm,  linden,  grey  ash,  red  maple,  cotton  wood,  aspen,  hack- 
berry,  iron  wood,  hornbeam,  and  white  and  red  pine."  Col.  Long 
saw  no  rock  in  place  in  the  whole  extent  of  the  Red  Eiver  valley 
Irom  its  source  to  Pembina  at  the  national  boundary. 

M.  Nicolet  speaks  of  the  "  vast  and  magnificent  valley  of  the 
Rod  River,  spreading  itself  in  an  almost  insensible  slope,  to  the 
east,  to  the  north  and  to  the  south,  and  bounded  only  by  the  hori- 
zon." He  describes  the  Shayen  branch  as  navigable  for  canoes 
to  near  Devil's  Lake,  "  its  banks  well  wooded,"  and  as  being  "  con- 
spicuous by  the  dense  green  foliage  of  its  shores."  Its  valley  and 
that  of  the  main  river  "possesses  a  fertile  soil,  offering  many 
inducements  to  its  settlement." 

From  the  Shayen  branch,  the  ground  rises  very  gradually  to 
the  plateau  of  the  Coteau  du  Missouri,  the  highest  part  of  which 
it  attains  in  a  distance  of  about  eighty  miles.  Its  elevation  at  this 
I)oint  above  the  ocean,  is  assumed  at  2300  feet. 

Farther  south,  in  lat.  45°  N.  nearly,  the  elevation  of  this  plateau 
was  ascertained  by  Nicolet  to  be  2100  feet.  Its  appearance  at 
that  point  is  described  as  that  of  a  "  green  plain  bounded  only  by 
the  horizon,  and  presenting  a  smooth  surface."  Farther  north,  in 
the  direction  of  the  proposed  line  for  the  Road,  it  is  described  as 
a  "  high,  dry  rolling  prairie  "  presenting  but  few  "  inequalities  of 
surface"  throughout  its  entire  extent,  and  having  an  elevation  but 
little  different  from  the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  both  presenting  the 
highest  ground  to  be  found  between  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 
Hudson's  Bay  west  of  the  Great  liakes. 

From  the  valley  of  the  Shayen  River  to  tlie  Missouri,  a  distance 
of  one  hundred  miles,  the  country  is  destitute  of  timber,  being, 
it  would  seem,  the  only  portion  of  any  very  great  extent  on  the 
ontire  line  to  the  Pacific  not  supplied  with  that  article.  Over  this 
vast  prairie  plain  the  bison  and  the  elk  still  roam  in  immense 
numbers. 

The  highest  point  on  tho  ^Missouri  River  where  barometrical 
measurements  were  made  by  Nicolet,  was  at  Fort  Pierre  in  lat. 
41^"  N.  nearly.    This  point  he  found  to  be  U5G  foot  above  the 


21 


1,  hack- 
)1,  Long 
)r  valley 

y  of  the 
3,  to  the 
the  hori- 
r  canoes 
ig  "con- 
alley  and 
ig  many 

dually  to 
of  which 
on  at  this 

is  plateau 

irance  at 

only  by 

north,  in 

icribed  as 

iialities  of 

ation  but 

ting  the 

xico  and 

distance 
or,  being, 
it  on  the 
Over  this 

immense 

omctric:il 
re  in  lut. 
bovo  the 


'  i/ 


sea.  It  is  situatcjd,  by  his  edtimato,  which  differs  but  little  from 
that  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  12^6  miles  by  tlio  river  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri. 

The  mouth  of  the  Missouri  as  derived  from  the  known  eleva- 
tion of  Lake  Erie,  via  the  Wabash  Canal,  and  the  surveys  on  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  Baiiroad,  is  350  feet  nearly,  above  the  Hud- 
son River  at  Albany,  N.  Y. 

The  Mouth  of  the  Kansas  Eivcr,  382  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
the  Missouri,  is  303  feet  higher,  or  683  foet  above  the  sea,  giving 
for  this  portion  of  the  Missouri  a  descent  of  ^Wb  ^^et  per  mile. 
From  the  Kanzas  Kiver  to  Fort  Pierre,  the  ascent  is  773  feet, 
and  distance  by  the  river  887  miles,  making  the  descent  of  this 
IK>rtion  yyg'y  feet  per  mile.  The  portion  of  this  below  Council 
Bluff's  has  an  inclination  of  one  and  one-sixth  feet  per  mile, 
and  that  above,  for  583  miles,  only  tliree-fourths  of  one  foot  per 
uiilo. 

Although  M.  Nicolet  finds  the  elevation  of  the  Missouri  at  Fort 
Pierre  to  be  1456  feet,  yet  in  order  to  cover  any  error  likely  to 
occur  from  measurements  made  with  the  barometer,  this  amount 
will  be  increased  to  1500  feet.  This  is  believed  to  be  an  ample 
allowance  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  more  recent  measurements 
of  Mr.  Owen  on  the  Mississippi,  give  results  upwards  of  100  feet 
lower  than  those  obtained  by  M.  Nicolet,  owing,  possibly,  in  part, 
to  too  low  an  estimate  of  the  level  of  Lake  Superior. 

Between  Fort  Pierre  and  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  the 
channel  of  the  river  appears  to  have  a  less  inclination  on  the  aver- 
age than  it  has  below  the  former  point.  This  is  inferred  from  the 
time  made  by  boats  ascending  and  descending.  The  force  of  the 
current  offering  loss  resistance  to  the  ascent  of  boats,  on  the  portion, 
from  Fort  Pierre  north  to  the  Yellow  Stone,  than  upon  the  portion 
below.  The  journals  of  Lewis  and  Clark  and  of  Culbertson,  are 
evidence  on  this  head.  As  this  difference  may  bo  due  in  part  to 
other  causes  than  that  of  a  diminished  inclination  of  the  channel, 
the  descent  for  this  portion  will  be  ostunatcd  at  nine-tenths  of  a 


22 


foot  per  mile,  which  for  600  miles  gives  the  elevation  of  line  of  lh» 
road  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone  2010  feet. 

This  will  appear  to  be  a  liberal  estimate  in  view  of  the  remark 
made  by  Lewis  and  Clark,  when  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Missouri,  that  "the  river  continues  wide,  and  of  about  the  same 
velocity  with  the  ordinarj'  current  of  the  Ohio."  The  descent  of 
the  Ohio  from  Pittsburg  to  its  mouth,  including  the  falls  at  Louis- 
ville, averages  less  than  six  inches  to  the  mile.  The  portion  from 
Pittsburg  to  Wheeling,  88  miles,  has  an  inclination  of  nine-tenths 
of  a  foot  per  mile ;  that  of  the  portion  below  to  Cincinnati  is  only 
six  inches  per  mile,  while  that  below  Cincinnati  is  still  less  than 
this. 

The  proposed  line  approaches  the  Missotri  River,  a  short  dis- 
tance below  Fort  Mandan,  at  a  point  about  300  miles  below  the 
Yellow  Stone.  It  will  have  consequently  by  the  above  estimate 
an  elevation  at  this  point  of  about  1770  feet  nearly,  above  the  level 
of  the  sea. 

The  valley  of  the  Missouri  at  this  place  and  below,  is  described 
as  a  vast  prairie  rising  very  gradually  on  the  east  side,  presenting 
in  that  direction  no  very  marked  elevations,  the  Coteau  dcs  Mis- 
souri being  merely,  in  the  words  of  Col.  Long,  a  "  grand  dyke 
which  prevents  the  Missouri  from  flowing  eastward,"  circumstan- 
ces which  in  connection  with  the  fact,  that  the  Moose  River  branch 
of  the  Asiniboine  approaches  within  a  mile  of  the  Missouri  River, 
at  a  point  farther  west,  and  is  elevated  but  little  above  it,  show 
very  conclusively  that  the  Coteau  du  Missouri  does  not  increase 
much,  if  any,  in  altitude  north  of  the  latitude  of  46°,  and  that  it  is 
quite  safe  to  assume,  as  has  been  done,  the  elevation  of  the  line  of 
the  Road  at  its  highest  point  between  the  Red  River  and  Mis- 
souri at  2,300  feet. 

So  low  is  the  ground  where  the  ]\Eooso  River  approaches  near- 
est to  the  Missouri  that  it  has  been  proposed  to  excavate  a  chan- 
nel for  the  discharge  in  that  direction  of  the  surplus  waters  of  the 
Missouri  in  times  of  flood,  allowing  them  to  pass  off"  northerly  into 
Lake  Winnipeg.     If  this  is  practicable,  then  it  would  also  bo  jx 


)s- 


23 


Ine  of  111* 

e  remark 
the  Little 
the  p.anie 
icsrent  of 

at  Louis- 
rtion  from 
line-tenth  « 
ati  is  only 

less  than 

,  short  dis- 
below  the 
o  estimate 
e  the  level 

described 
presenting 
dcs  Mis- 
and  dyke 
ircumstan- 
er  branch 
uri  Eiver, 
0  it,  show 
t  increase 
that  it  is 
the  line  of 
and  Mis- 

Ichcs  ncar- 
Ito  a  chan- 
Iters  of  the 
Itherly  into 

IsO  1)0  ptir^- 


hible  to  construct  a  canal  from  this  point  to  Bigstone  Lake  on  the 
vSt.  Peters,  and  by  improving  the  navigation  of  this  river,  which 
it  is  said  can  be  done  at  no  very  great  cost,  a  very  direct  naviga- 
ble route  may  be  obtained,  in  connection  with  the  improvement  of 
tlie  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers  in  Wisconsin,  now  in  progress,  from 
the  Upper  Missouri  to  Lake  Michigan,  and  thus  avoid  the  tedious 
and  difficult  na'.ngdtion  of  the  lower  portions  of  the  Missouri  river : 
or  otherwise,  the  canal  may  be  continued  along  the  Hdut  terres  of 
the  Mississippi  and  connect  at  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior,  by 
u  still  shorter  route,  with  the  navigation  of  the  lakes. 

Such  a  navigation  could  also  readily  be  connected  with  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Red  River  and  of  James  River,  the  former  now  nav- 
igable for  400  miles,  and  the  latter  susceptible  of  improvement  at 
no  very  gi'eat  cost. 

From  where  the  line  of  the  proposed  Road  meets  the  Missouri, 
to  the  Great  Falls  of  that  river,  it  occupies  the  ground  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  at  no  greater  distance  from  it  than  is  neces- 
sary to  preserve  a  due  degree  of  directness  in  its  course.  The 
valley  of  the  Missouri  on  the  north  side  for  this  distance  is  mostly 
a  plain,  with  the  surface  not  greatly  varied,  its  features  changing 
somewhat  west  of  the  Muscleshell  River  between  that  and  Thomp- 
sons River,  where  the  surface  is  more  broken  and  the  hills  ap- 
proach  nearer  to  the  river. 

The  character  of  the  Missouri  from  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow 
Stone  to  that  of  the  Muscleshell,  a  distance  following  its  course  of 
390  miles,  as  described  by  Lewis  and  Clark,  is  such  as  to  warrant 
the  conclusion  that  the  average  inclination  of  its  surface  is  very 
little  greater  than  the  portion  immediately  below. 

The  quantity  of  water  flowing  in  this  portion  of  the  river  must 
bp  considerably  less  than  in  the  portion  below.  The  Yellow  Stone 
is  the  largest  tributary  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  draining  an  extent 
of  country  equal  to  two-thirds  of  that  drained  by  the  Missouri 
itself  at  the  point  of  junction.  >    ,       • 

The  dimensions  of  the  two  at  this  point,  as  given  by  Lewis  and 
Clark,  from  actual  measurement,  are  for  the  Yellow  Stone  891 


feet  in  width  across  tbe  water  at  the  surface  and  twelve  feet  deep 
at  its  deepest  point,  and  for  the  Missouri  990  feet  in  width  and 
the  depth  greater,  the  precise  depth  of  the  latter,  and  velocities  of 
the  current  not  being  given.  ' 

From  the  Muscleshell  River  to  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri,  a  dis- 
tance of  310  miles  by  the  river,  the  current  is  on  the  average 
more  rapid  than  upon  any  equal  portion  below.  Lewis  and  Clark 
ascended  this  distance  with  their  boats  at  the  mean  rate  of  about 
thirteen  miles  per  day,  while  the  average  below  was  17  to  18  miles 
per  day.  The  river  is  here  600  to  700  feet  wide.  The  most  rapid 
and  difficult  portion  is  embraced  in  tbe  distance  of  one-third  of  a 
mile  only.  The  water  is  rapid  in  other  places,  but  not  to  the  same 
degree  as  at  this.  From  one  foot  to  one  and  one-third  feet  per 
mile  as  the  maximum,  will,  it  is  believed,  be  a  liberal  estimate,  for 
the  descent  of  the  river  from  the  Falls  to  the  Yellow  Stone.  This 
gives  for  the  elevation  of  the  line  of  the  proposed  Boad  at  the  foot 
of  the  Falls  about  2850  feet. 

The  character  of  the  portion  of  the  Missouri  valley  traversed 

by  the  proposed  Boad,  from  the  Mandan  villages  west,  is  thus 

described  by  Lewis  and  Clark : 

April  14 — "  Passed  low  timbered  ground." 

16 — "  The  country  presents  tbe  same  appearance  of  low  plains  and  mea- 
dows, bounded  on  the  right  a  few  miles  back  by  broken  hills  which 
end  in  high  but  fertile  lands,  tbe  quantity  of  timber  increasing.-' 
18—"  Country  presents  usual  variety  of  high  lands  (probably  about  100 
or  150  feet  in  height,  see  memo.  May  3d,)  interspersed  with  rich 
plains." 

"  81^"  Passed  Whiteearth  River."  (This  is  tbe  western  boundary  of  Min- 
nesota.) 

M     26 — "  Arrived  at  Yellow  Stone,  wood  land  and  limestone  near  by." 
May      3 — "The  low  grounds  much  wider,  sometimes  extend  5  to  9  miles  to 
high  lands  which  are  much  lower  than  heretofore,  not  being  more 
than  50  or  CO  feet  above  the  low  plain." 

"  6 — "  Country  continues  rich,  level,  and  bcautifhl,  the  low  grounds  wide, 
and  comparatively  with  the  other  parts  of  the  Missouri,  well  supplied 
with  wood." 

**  7-11 — "  Proceeded  at  the  rate  of  20  miles  per  day  through  boautifiil  and 
fertile  plains,  which  rose  gradually  from  the  low  grounds  bordering 
its  banks  to  50  feet,  and  extended  a  perfect  level  at  that  elevation  aa 
ftu:  in  places  as  the  eye  could  reach.' 


25 


M 
U 

u 
l( 

4( 
It 


u 


June 


May,      8—"  Passed  Milk  River "  ■,-.--     '< 

"     11— "First  pino  seen  on  the  Missouri,  resembles  the  Virginia  pine, 

leaves  longer." 
•I     12 — ^«  Soil  changes  somewhat,  more  sand  on  the  hills,  plains  the  same. 
«     19—"  Character  of  country  changing,  cotton  wood  the  only  timber  and 
scarce." 
20—"  Arrived  at  Muscleshell  River."    Lat.  47»  24'  N. 
21—"  Country  in  the  south  high  and  broken  :  pine  and  swamp  cedar." 
24 — "  Grounds  higher  on  each  side  owing  to  ridge  running  N.  W.  and 

S.  K» 
26—"  Scarcely  any  low  grounds  on  river." 
27 — "  River  rapid  and  bounded  by  rugged  bluffs." 
28—"  Passed  Thompson's  creek :   low  grounds  on  banks  again  wide, 
fertile  and  enriched  with  trees :  those  on  the  north  particularly  wide, 
hills  low,  opening  into  three  large  valleys  to  the  north." 
29—"  Passed  Judith  River  300  feet  wide." 
30 — "  Rocky  points  "    "  On  ascending  heights  country  perfectly  level  on 

both  sides  of  the  river." 
31 — "  High  walls  of  black  rock  and  white  sandstone." 
2 — "  Timber  Increases  In  quantity,  low  grounds  more  level  and  exten- 
sive and  blulik  lower." 
«       3-"  Maria's  River  "    Lat.  49°  25' N. 
"     12—"  Left  Maria's  River" 

**     13—"  Beautlftil  plain.    Arrived  at  Great  Falls :  river  900  feet  wide,  bluflk 
150  to  200  feet  high. ' 

In  giving  a  general  description  of  the  valley  of  the  Missouri  in 
another  place,  Lewis  and  Clark  state  that  the  hills  exceed  150  feet 
in  height  for  some  distance  below  the  Mandan  village,  but  above 
that  point  "  they  are  rather  lower  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Mus- 
cleshell Eiver,  where  they  are  met  by  the  northern  hills  which 
have  advanced  at  a  more  uniform  height,  varying  from  150  to  200 
or  300  feet.  From  this  point  to  the  mountamB,  the  height  of  both 
is  nearly  the  same,  from  300  to  500  feet,  and  the  low  grounds  are 
so  narrow  that  the  traveller  seems  passing  through  a  lange  of  high 
country.  From  Maria's  Biver  to  the  Falls,  the  hills  descend  to 
the  height  of  about  200  or  300  feet."    ■    ' 

The  above  description  is  confirmed  by  Mr.  Culbertson,  who 
ascended  the  Missouri  in  1850,  (as  appears  by  his  Journal,  pub- 
lished in  the  transactions  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,)  to  a  point 
above  Porcupine  River.  From  Fort  Clark,  near  the  site  of  the 
old  Fort  Mandan  the  valley  is  represented  by  him  as  "  prairie," 
with  "hills  sixty  feet  in  height"  as  far  up  as  the  Yellow  Stono. 


26 


^bove  that  point  tho  "hills  aro  lower,"  "  country  more  level,"  and 
*'  banks  well  timbered."  At  a  distance  of  about  60  miles  tho  "  hills 
leave  the  river  and  a  broad  bottom  intervenes."  At  80  miles 
"  prairie  to  noilh  and  hilly  to  south ; "  "  country  more  even ;  " 
"good  timber."  At  90  miles  Martha's  river,  "very  wide  rolling 
prairies,  on  north  side  no  hills  "  Below  Milk  river,  "  very  exten- 
sive and  level  prairie  to  the  north."  Between  Milk  and  Porcupine 
river,  "  in  midst  of  most  magnificent  prairies."  Above  Porcupine 
river  "continuation  of  prairie  country,  e?pecially  on  the  north 
side,"  "beautiful  rolling  prairie  all  along,  excepting  occasional 
timbered  points." 

From  the  preceding  it  is  evident  that  the  valley  of  the  Missouri, 
from  Fort  Mandan  to  the  Great  Falls,  is  an  immense  plain,  partic- 
ularly on  its  north  side,  and  principally  prairie,  interrupted  only  by 
the  broken  region  between  the  Musclcshell  and  Thompson  rivers, 
a  character  which  belongs,  from  all  accounts,  to  the  entire  space 
between  the  Missouri  and  Saskatshawan,  and  Assiniboin  rivers. 
In  all  this  distance  of  nearly  500  miles,  the  valley  appears  to  rise 
very  gradually  at  the  average  rate  of  about  two  feet  per  mile. 
This,  in  connection  with  the  very  favorable  character  of  the  surface, 
as  described,  between  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers,  leads  to 
tho  conclusion,  that  in  the  entire  distance,  from  the  latter  to  the 
Great  Falls  of  the  former,  embracing  nearly  one  thousand  miles, 
no  gradient  will  be  required  exceeding  25  to  30  feet  per  mile- 
The  road  can  be  located  on  long,  straight  lines,  with  but  compara- 
tively few  changes  in  direction,  and  the  grading  will,  in  general,  bo 

ligllt.  ---C:  ',      •     .    -    ..     •■^^       ■'        v-.-;i„- 

The  line  of  the  road  for  more  than  half  of  the  distance  will  not 
be  veiy  far  from  the  na\'igable  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri. With  respect  to  timber  for  construction,  it  is  apparent  that 
the  borders  of  the  Missouri  and  its  branches,  from  Fort  Mandan 
to  the  Falls  are  in  general  fringed  with  it,  and  when  not  found 
on  the  river  banks,  can  de  procured  without  difficulty  from  the 
branche    or  from^^arts  of  the  river  which  are  better  supplied 

with     it.  .  •    :  .  .       '       ,  ' 


27 


Near  to  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri  which  are  87  feet  per- 
pendicular, are  rapids  and  smaller  falls  extending  through  a  dis- 
tance of  about  twenty  miles.  These  falls  and  rapids  were  exam- 
ined carefully  by  Lewis  and  Clark  and  the  descent  at  each  noted. 
From  their  estimate  it  appears  that  the  entire  descent  is  368  feet, 
which  gives  for  the  elevation  of  the  lino,  upon  the  plain  above  the 
Falls,  3,250  feet,  nearly,  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  length  of  the  portage  passing  these  obstructions  to  the 
navigation  is  18  miles. 

The  Missouri  River  above  the  Falls  is  about  500  feet  wide,  and 
maintains  this  width  nearly  to  where  it  loses  its  name  at  the  junc- 
tion of  its  three  large  tributaries,  the  Gallatin,  Madison,  and  Jef- 
ferson rivers,  a  distance  of  230  miles  from  the  Falls,  following  the 
course  of  the  river.  The  last  named  branch  is  the  most  westerly 
of  the  three.  It  is  also  the  largest  and  least  rapid,  and  from  it  at 
a  point  in  lat.  44p  N.  500  miles  nearly  ftom  the  Fulls  (through  all 
of  which  distance  it  is  navigable  with  canoes,)  there  is  a  portage 
of  only  38  miles  in  length,  and  over  ground  comparatively  level  ft)r 
most  of  the  distance,  and  no  portion  of  it  difficult,  to  the  waters  of 
the  Salmon  river  branch  of  Lewis'  fork  of  the  Columbia.  This 
was  the  route  pursued  by  Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  way  to  the 
Pacific. 

After  reaching  the  Salmon  river  and  continuing  some  distance 
along  it  in  a  north-westerly  direction,  they  passed  over  nearly  due 
north  to  Clark's  branch  of  the  Columbia,  and  along  that  stream  as 
far  as  Travellers  Rest  creek,  a  tributary  to  it  from  the  west  This 
latter  stream  they  ascended  to  near  its  source,  westerly  in  the 
mountains,  and  thenoe  into  the  valley  of  the  Kooskootskie,  a  branch 
of  Lewis'  river,  which  they  descended,  and  continued  on  to  tlie 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  where  they  remained  during  the  winter. 

The  next  Spring  they  returned  by  the  same  route  as  far  as 
Clark's  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Travellers  Rest  Creek.  Here  ono 
division  of  the  party,  under  Capt.  Clark,  took  the  route  up  Clark's 
river,  and  thence  across  by  the  sources  of  Wisdom  river,  to  Jeflcr- 
son  river,  and  down  the  latter  to  the  head  of  the  Missouri,  at  the 


Grand  Forks ;  thence  up  Gallatin  river,  which  is  navigable,  to  a 
point  only  18  miles  from  the  Yellow  Stone,  where  there  is  a  port- 
age to  the  latter  river  over  very  feasible  gronnd.  Across  this  they 
passed,  and  proceeded  thence  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow 
Btone,  a  short  distance  below  which  they  were  joined  by  the  party 
under  Capt  Lewis. 

The  latter  party  after  separating  from  their  companions  at  Trav- 
ellers Rest  Creek,  passed  down  Clark's  river  a  few  miles  tc  a  large 
branch  coming  in  from  the  East.  This  branch  they  followed  to 
one  of  its  sources,  from  whence  they  crossed  to  the  valley  of  Med- 
icine river,  and  thence  along  that  river  to  the  Missouri,  passing, 
before  reaching  the  Medicine  river.  Dearborn  river,  which  is  also  a 
branch  of  the  Missouri. 

The  several  routes  traversed  between  the  sources  of  the  Missouri 
and  Columbia,  by  these  intelligent  and  indefatigable  explorers,  are 
represented  on  a  sketch  annexed,  marked  (No.  2,)  to  which  the 
reiider  is  referred.  , 

The  route  proposed  for  the  line  of  the  Railroad  from  the  Mis- 
souri to  the  Columbia,  leaves  the  Missouri  at  the  head  of  the  FalKs 
and  thence  across  by  the  path  last  described  as  followed  by  Capt. 
TiCvvis  on  his  return.  This  will  be  termed  the  "  Lewis  Pass"  and 
as  its  character  is  of  great  importance  in  this  inquiry  no  apology 
will  be  needed  for  giving  here  an  extract  from  the  journal  itself, 
l)romising  that  the  latitude  of  the  camp  near  the  mouth  of  Travel- 
lers Rest  Creek,  as  ascertained  by  Capt.  Lewis,  is  46''  48'  28''  N.   • 

July  3,  (1805)— "The  nine  men  and  five  Indians  who  accompanied  Capluiii 
Lowis,  proceeded  in  a  direction  due  north  down  the  west  side  of  Clark's  Riv(;r. 
Haifa  mile  from  the  camp  we  forded  Traveller's  Rest  creek,  and  two  and  a  half 
miles  farther  passed  a  weateri  branch  of  the  river,  one  mile  beyond  this  was  a 
small  creek  on  the  eastern  side,  and  a  mile  lower  down  the  entrance  of  the  East- 
ern branch  of  the  river.  This  stream  is  from  90  to  120  yards  (270  to  360  feet) 
wide,  and  its  waters,  which  are  discharged  through  two  channels  were  more  tur^ 
bid  than  that  of  the  main  river.  The  latter  is  150  yards  (450  feet)  in  width,  and 
waters  an  extensive  level  plain  and  prairie,  the  lower  parts  of  which  are  orna- 
mented with  the  long  leafbd  pine  and  cottonwood,  while  the  tops  of  the  hills 
are  covered  with  pine,  birch,  and  fir.  We  proceeded  two  miles  further  to  a 
place  where  the  Indians  advised  us  to  cross."  •  •  •  • 

"  The  Indians  now  pointed  out  to  us  a  road  at  no  great  distance  which  they  wid 
would  lead  up  the  eaatcrn  braocb  of  Clark'*  Biver  to  another  river  colled  Cokal- 


29 


ahishkit,  or  the  river  of  the  road  to  the  buffaloes,  and  thence  to  Medicine  Hivcr 
and  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri. 

They  added  that  not  far  from  the  dividing  ridge  of  the  waters  of  Clark's  River 
and  the  Missouri  the  roads  forked,  and  though  both  led  to  tlie  Falls,  the  left  hand 
road  was  the  best,  the  road  was  so  well  beaten,  thej  thought,  that  we  could  no 
longer  mistake  it,  and  having  now  shown  us  the  way  they  were  anxious  to  go 
in  quest  of  their  friends  the  Shalees.    •    *    • 

July  i. — Having  taken  leave  of  the  Indians  we  mounted  our  horses  and  pro- 
ceeded up  the  east  branch  of  Clark's  River  through  the  level  plain  in  which  we 
were  encamped.  At  the  distance  of  five  miles  we  had  crossed  a  small  creek  fif- 
teen yards  wide  and  now  entered  the  mountains.  The  river  is  here  closely -con- 
fined within  the  hills  for  two  miles,  when  tlie  bottom  widens  into  an  extcnsivo 
prairie  and  the  river  is  110  yards  wide.  We  went  ten  miles  further  over  a. 
high  plain,  succeeded  by  a  low  and  level  prairie  to  tlie  entrance  of  Cokalahisb- 
kit.  This  river  empties  itself  from  the  northeast,  is  deep,  rapid,  and  about  sixty 
yards  wide,  with  banks  which,  though  not  high,  arc  aufflciently  bold  to  prevent 
the  water  from  overflowing.  The  east  branch  of  Clark's  River  is  ninety  yards 
wide  above  the  junction,  but  below  it  spreads  to  one  hundred.  The  waters  of 
both  are  turbid.  The  Cokalahishkit  is  clearer  of  the  two.  The  beds  of  botli 
are  composed  of  sand  and  gravel,  but  neither  is  navigable  on  account  of  the 
rapids  and  shoals  which  obstruct  tlieir  currents. 

Before  the  junction  of  these  streams  the  country  had  been  bare  of  trees,  but 
as  we  turned  up  the  west  branch  of  the  Cokalahishkit  we  found  a  woody  country 
though  the  hills  were  high,  and  low  grounds  narrow  and  poor.  At  the  distaiici.^ 
of  eight  miles  in  a  due  east  course  we  encamped  in  a  bottom  where  there  was 
abundance  of  excellent  grass.  •  •  *  Near  the  pluce  where  we  crossetl 
Clark's  River  we  saw  at  a  distance  some  wild  horses,  which  are  said,  indeed,  to 
be  very  numerous  on  this  river. 

July  5. — Early  in  the  morning  we  proceeded  on  3J  miles  in  a  direction  N.  7.S* 
£.,  then  inclining  to  the  south  crossed  an  extensive,  beautiful  and  well  watered 
valley,  nearly  twelve  miles  in  length,  at  the  extremity  of  which  we  halted  fur 
dinner.  Here  we  obtained  a  great  quantity  of  quamash,  and  shot  an  antelope 
from  a  gang  of  females,  who  at  this  season  herd  together  apart  from  the  bucki'. 
After  dinner  we  followed  the  course  of  the  river  easterly  for  six  miles  to  tiiu 
mouth  of  a  creek  thirty-five  yards  wide,  which  we  called  Werner's  Creek.  It 
comes  in  from  the  north  and  waters  a  high  extensive  prairie,  the  hills  near  which 
are  low  and  supplied  with  the  long  leafed  pine,  larch,  and  some  fir.  The  roud 
then  led  N.  22*  W.,  four  miles,  soon  after  which  it  again  turned  N.  73*  E.,  fcr 
two  and  a  half  miles,  over  a  handsome  plain  watered  by  Werner's  creek  to  tho 
river,  which  we  followed  on  in  an  eastern  direction  through  a  high  prairie  ren- 
dered very  unequal  by  a  vast  number  of  little  hillocks  and  sinkliules,  and  nt 
ttiree  miles  distance  encamped  near  the  entrance  of  a  large  creek  twenty  yards 
wide,  to  which  we  gave  the  name  of  Seaman's  creek.    (31  miles  in  all  this  day.) 

July  6. — At  sunrise  we  continued  our  course  eastward  along  tlio  river. 

At  seven  miles  distance  we  passed  tlie  north  fork  of  the  Cokalaliislikit,  a  deep 
Rnd  rapid  stream  forty-five  yards  wide,  and  like  the  main  branch  itself  somt?- 
wliat  turbid,  though  the  otlier  streams  of  this  country  are  clear.  Seven  niilis 
fartlier  the  river  enters  the  mountains,  and  here  end  tlie  extensive  prairies  oti 
tills  side,  though  they  widen  in  their  course  towards  the  soutlieast  and  form  uu 


30 


Indian  route  to  Dearborn's  river,  and  thence  to  tlie  Missouri.  From  tlic  muUl- 
lude  of  knoba  irregularly  scattered  through  the  country,  Capt.  Lewis  called  it 
tiie  Prairie  of  Knobs.  It  abounds  in  game,  as  we  saw  goats,  doer,  great  num- 
bora  of  burrowing  squirrels,  some  curlews,  bee-martins,  woodpeckers,  plovers, 
robins,  doves,  ravens,  hawks,  ducks,  a  variety  of  sparrows,  and  yesterday  ob- 
served swans  on  Werner's  creek. 

Among  the  plants  we  observed  the  southern  wood  and  two  other  species  of 
shrubs  of  which  wc  preserved  specimens.  On  entering  the  high  grounds  we 
followed  the  course  of  the  river  through  the  narrow  bottoms,  thickly  timberetl 
with  pine  and  cotton  wood  intermixed  and  variegated  with  the  bois  rouge,  now 
in  bloom,  the  common  small  blue  flag  and  pepper  grass,  and  at  the  distance  of 
tliree  and  a  half  miles  reached  the  two  forks  of  the  river  mentioned  by  the  In- 
dians. They  are  nearly  equal  in  width,  and  the  road  itself  here  forks  and  fol- 
lows each  of  them.  We  followed  that  which  led  us  in  a  direction  N.  TS*"  E. 
over  a  steep  high  hill,  thence  along  a  wide  bottom  to  a  thickly  wooded  side  of 
a  hill,  where  the  low  grounds  are  narrow,  till  \)e  reached  a  large  creek,  eight 
miles  from  the  forks  and  twenty  Ave  from  our  last  encampment. 

July  7. — We  proceeded  through  a  beautiful  plain  on  the  north  side  of  tho 
river,  which  seemed  here  to  abound  in  beaver.  On  the  low  grounds  there  was 
much  timber,  and  the  hills  Avcre  covered  chiefly  with  pilch  pine,  that  of  the  long 
leafed  kind  having  disappeared  since  we  left  the  Prairie  of  tho  Knobs.  At  the 
distance  of  twelve  miles  we  left  the  river,  or  rather  the  creek,  and  having  for 
four  miles  crossed  two  ridges  in  a  direction  N.  LI"  E.,  again  struck  to  tho  right, 
proceeding  through  a  narrow  bottom  covered  with  low  willows  and  grass,  and 
abundantly  supplied  with  both  deer  and  beaver. 

After  travelling  7  miles  wc  reached  the  loot  of  a  ridge  which  we  ascended  la 
a  direction  N.  45"  E.  through  a  low  gap  of  easy  ascent  from  the  westward,  and 
on  descending  it  were  delighted  at  discovering  that  this  was  the  dividing  ridge 
between  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  and  those  of  tho  Missouri.  From  this  gap 
Fort  Mountain  is  about  twenty  miles  in  a  north-cast  direction.  ♦  ♦  *  "  'We 
now  wound  through  the  hills  and  hollows  of  the  mountains,  passing  several  riv- 
ulets which  ran  to  tho  right,  and  at  the  distance  of  nine  miles  from  the  gap  en- 
camped, having  made  thitty-two  miles.  We  procured  some  beaver  and  this 
morning  saw  tracks  of  buffalo."    •    *    • 

July  8. — "  At  three  miles  from  our  camp  n-c  reached  a  stream  Issuing  front 
tiie  mountains  to  the  south-west  (east)."  «»***♦"  "\Vc  called  it 
Dearborn  river.  Half  a  mile  further  we  observed  from  a  height  the  Shisho- 
quaw  Mountain,  a  high  insulated  eminence  of  a  conical  form  standing  several 
miles  in  advance  of  the  eastern  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  then 
about  eight  miles  from  us,  and  immediately  on  our  road  which  was  in  a  north- 
fiisi,  direction  ;  but  as  our  object  was  to  strike  Medicine  River  and  hunt  down 
to  its  mouth,  •  *  *  we  determined  to  leave  the  road  and  therefore  proceeded 
due  north  (10  miles)  through  an  open  plain  till  we  reached  Shishequaw  creek,  a 
stream  abont  twenty  yards  (CO  feet)  wide  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  tim- 
ber on  its  low  grounds. 

Here  we  halted  and  dined,  and  now  felt  by  the  luxury  of  our  food,  that  wo 
were  approaching  once  more  the  plains  of  the  Missouri  so  rich  in  game. 

We  saw  a  great  number  of  deer,  goats,  and  wolves,  and  some  barking  sqnir- 
rulg  and  for  the  first  time  caught  a  distant  prospect  of  two  buffulo.    After  dia- 


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ner  we  followed  the  Shisboquaw  creek  for  six  and  a  half  miles  to  its  entrance  in- 
to Medicine  River,  and  along  tlie  banlts  of  this  river  for  eight  miles,  when  we 
encamped  on  a  large  Island.  The  bottoms  continued  low,  level,  and  extensive ; 
the  plains  too  were  level,  but  the  soil  of  neither  was  fertile,  as  it  consisted  of  a 
light  colored  earth  intermixed  with  a  proportion  of  gravel ;  the  grass  on  both 
was  generally  about  nine  inches  high.  Capt.  Lewis  here  shot  a  large  and  re- 
markably white  wolf.    We  had  made  twenty-eight  miles.        •        •        * 

It  rained  the  whole  of  tht  next  day  and  they  advanced  but  eight  miles  over 
extensive  bottom  laids  tolerably  well  supplied  with  nan-ow  leafv-J  cotton  wood. 
*'  The  river  is  about  80  rods  wide,  with  banks,  which  though  lew,  are  seldom 
overflowed ;  the  bed  is  compose!  of  loose  gravel  and  pebbles,  the  water  clear 
and  rapid,  but  not  so  much  as  to  impede  navigation.  The  bottoms  are  hand- 
some, wide  and  level  and  supplied  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  narrow  leafi  d 
cotton  wood.  During  our  short  ride  we  killed  two  deer  and  two  buffaloes  and 
saw  a  number  of  wolves  and  antelopes. 

July  10  — We  set  out  early,  and  proceeded  through  a  country  Fimilar  to  that 
of  yesterday  with  wide  leafed  cotton  wood,  occasionally  along  the  borders  of 
the  bottoms,  though  for  the  most  part  the  low  grounds  were  without  timber.  In 
■  the  plains  were  great  quantities  of  two  species  of  prickly  pear,  tlien  in  bloom. 
Gooseberries  of  the  common  red  kind  were  in  abundance,  and  just  beginning  t» 
ripen.  The  river  had  now  widened  to  100  yards  (300  feet)  was  deep,  crowded 
with  islands,  and  in  many  parts  rapid.  At  the  distance  of  seventeen  miles  tho 
timber  disappeared  totally  from  the  bottoms.  About  this  time  the  wind,  which 
had  before  blown  on  our  backs  and  put  tho  elk  on  their  guard,  shifted  round, 
and  we  shot  three  of  them  and  a  brown  bear.  *  •  *  \fe  saw  vast  numbers 
of  buffalo,  below  us,  which  kept  up  a  dreadful  bellowing  through  the  night. 
With  all  our  exertions  we  were  unable  to  advance  more  than  twenty-four  miles 
owing  to  the  miry  state  of  the  ground,  occasioned  by  the  rain. 

The  next  morning,  however,  July  11,  was  fair  and  enliveued  by  multitudes  of 
birds,  which  sung  delightfully  in  the  clusters  of  cotton  wood.  The  hunters  were 
sent  down  Medicine  River  in  pursuit  of  elk,  while  Capt.  Lewis  crossed  the  high 
plain  in  a  direction  N.  75*  E.  to  White  Bear  Island  (near  the  head  of  the  Falls 
of  the  Missouri  River  in  lat.  47"  9'  N.)  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  and  hero  tlicy 
joined  him. 

They  had  seen  some  elk,  but  in  this  neighborhood  the  buffalo  were  in  such 
numbers  that  on  a  moderate  computation  there  could  not  have  been  less  than 


10,000  within  a  circuit  of  two  miles. 


Among  tlie  smaller  game  were 


tlie  brown  thru,-'     pigeons,  doves,  and  a  beautiful  bird  called  the  buffalo 
pecker." 

From  the  main  summit  to  the  ^Missouri  river,  at  White  Bcjir 
island  the  distance  by  tho  computation  of  Capt.  Lewis,  on  tlio 
route  travelled  by  him,  is  eighty  miles.  It  is  assumed  to  be  70 
miles,  as  he  informs  us  that  he  did  not  pursue  the  direct  route  east- 
erly, but  maintained  a  northerly  direction  to  Medicine  river.  The 
direct  distance  from  the  main  summit  to  White  Uear  island  is  given 
•t  28  miles,  for  Capt.  Lewis  states  that  from  the  summit  or  Gap, 


32 


*'  Port  Mountain  is  about  20  miles  in  a  N.  E.  direction,"  and  when 
passing  up  the  Missouri  Fort  Mountain  is  represented  as  being  8 
miles  from  White  Bear  island.  It  is  possible  the  distance  from  the 
Gap  to  Fort  Mountain  may  have  been  underrated,  but  it  must  bo 
very  wide  indeed  of  the  truth  to  make  the  summit  more  than  40 
miles  in  a  direct  line  from  White  Bear  island.  In  calling  it  70 
miles,  a  sufficiently  liberal  allowance  is  supposed  to  be  made  for 
any  increase  of  distance  necessary,  to  bring  the  gradients  and  ex- 
pense within  a  reasonable  limit. 

From  the  description  of  the  ground  the  descent  in  the  45  miles 
nearest  to  the  Missouri  river  cannot  be  great.  Ten  feet  per  mile 
is  believed  to  be  a  liberal  estimate,  making  the  height  of  the  line  at 
the  "  Open  plains"  about  3,700  feet.  That  this  is  sufficiently  high 
is  apparent  from  the  fact,  that  the  valley  of  Dearborn  river  at  the 
place  of  crossing,  is  not,  from  the  description,  much  below  the 
level  of  the  plains,  and  the  valley  itself  cannot  have  a  very  great 
inclination,  as  we  are  told  by  Lewis  and  Clark  when  ascending  the 
Missouri,  that  Dearborn  river  had  "eveiy  appearance  of  being 
navigable." 

From  the  *'  open  plain"  to  the  main  summit  or  Divortia  aquarum 
the  distance  is  about  twenty  miles.  The  line  in  this  distance  crosses 
Dearborn  river  and  several  of  its  smaller  tributaries  and  "  winds 
through  the  hills  and  mountains."  The  ascent  from  the  open  plain 
is  evidently  mostly  within  the  last  ten  miles,  and  there  is  nothing 
in  the  description  to  withorize  a  greater  estimate  to  be  put  upon 
the  main  summit  than  about  1,300  feet  above  the  plain,  maJcing  it 
ill  round  numbers  5,000ycgi  only  above  the  sea. 

This  estimate  gives  for  the  elevation  of  the  main  summit  above 
the  Missouri  at  the  mouth  of  Dearborn  river  about  1,700  feet 
HiM'jeunt  Gass  in  his  narrative,  in  describing  tlie  heights  on  the  east 
hide  of  Dearborn  river  says,  that  "  some  of  the  knobs  or  peaks  of 
tliese  mountains  are  700  (perhaps  some  nearly  1200)  feet  high.'' 
The  next  range  in  which  is  the  Dalle  or  Canon  (kenyon)  called  tlie 
date  of  the  mountains^  is  still  liigher.  Lewis  and  Clark  remark  in 
rt;;rtird  to  it  that  "  the  mountains  arc  higher  to-day  than  they  \\v.vq 


33 


yesterday."  The  walls  of  this  Canon  they  describe  as  nearly 
1,200  feet  high,  evidently  formed  by  a  transverse  break  in  theridgo 
or  mountain  by  some  great  convulsion  of  nature,  affording  a  nar- 
row passage  for  the  river ;  the  water  being  deep  throughout,  and 
the  length  nearly  six  miles,  which  indicates  the  width  of  the  moun- 
tain at  the  base. 

While  the  party  wore  ascending  the  river,  Capt.  Clark  traversed 
this  portion  of  the  valley  on  foot,  and  to  save  "  many  miles  "  of 
distance  crossed  this  mountain  by  a  "  wide  Indian  road,  which  in 
many  places  seemed  to  have  been  cut  or  dug  down  in  the  earth." 
It  was  near  the  close  of  the  day  when  he  arrived  at  the  base  of 
the  mountain  and  the  same  evetiing  he  crossed  over  and  encamped 
on  its  western  side.  This  mountain,  like  the  others  in  this  region, 
has  a  direction  N.  W.  and  8.  E.,  and  being  the  first  encountered 
west  of  Dearborn  river,  is  evidently  the  same  in  which  the  main 
summit  is  situated.  From  what  has  been  stated,  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable to  suppose  that  its  general  height  near  the  place  of  crossing 
it  with  the  line  of  the  proposed  Road  is  not  more  than  2,500  to 
3,000  feet  Jibove  the  Missouri  river  at  the  mouth  of  Dearborn 
river,  and  as  the  route  passes  through  what  is  termed  a  "  hio  gap,^"* 
in  giving  1,700  feet  for  the  height  of  that  gap  above  the  same 
level,  its  elevation  cannot  be  considered  as  underrated. 

If  further  evidence  is  required  to  show  that  the  ridge  at  the  gap 
is  not  underestimated  it  is  found  in  the  distance  made  by  Capt. 
Lewis  the  day  ho  passed  it,  which  was  thirt.y-tico  miles,  being  a 
greater  distance  than  was  made  on  any  other  day  in  passtng  from 
Clark's  river  to  the  Missouri. 

That  the  elevation  of  the  Missouri  river,  at  the  head  of  the  Falls 
is  also  not  underestimated  appears  to  be  evident  when  compared 
with  that  of  the  Yellow  Stone.  Lewis  and  Clark  ascended  the 
Missouri  with  canoes  above  the  Falls  a  distance  of  500  miles  to 
the  Upper  Forks  of  the  Jefferson  branch. 

At  about  half  that  distance,  or  230  miles,  they  came  to  the 
Grand  or  Main  Forks.  There  is  nothing  in  their  description  to 
authorize  the  belief  that  the  river  in  this  latter  distance  falls  more 
8 


34 


1 1 


than  about  300  feet,  when  compared  with  other  streams  of  the 
same  magnitude,  under  similar  circumstances  whose  descent  is 
known. 

This  will  make  the  Main  Forks  about  3,550  feet  above  the  sea. 
In  the  remaining  distance  to  the  Upper  Forks  of  Jefferson  river, 
270  miles,  the  fall  is  greater  but  does  not,  it  is  supposed,  much 
exceed  two  feet  per  mile,  making  the  Upper  Forks  about  4,100 
feet  above  the  sea. 

From  the  Main  Forks  Capt.  Clark  crossed  to  the  Yellow  Stone. 
In  describing  the  intermediate  ground,  he  states:  "  It  now  appeared 
that  the  communication  between  the  two  rivers  was  short  and 
easy.  The  distance  from  the  head  of  the  Missouri  at  its  three  (Main) 
Forks  to  this  place  is  48  miles,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  through 
a  level  plain  :  while  from  the  forks  of  the  eastern  branch  of  Gal- 
latins  river,  which  is  there  navigable  for  small  canoes,  to  this  port  of 
the  Yellow  Stone  is  no  more  than  18  miles,  with  an  excellent  road 
over  a  high  dry  country,  the  hills  being  of  inconsiderable  height 
and  easily  passable."  In  another  place  he  describes  the  summit 
of  the  dividing  ridge  as  about  midway  between  the  waters  of  the 
Gallatin  and  the  Yellow  Stone. 

This  description  would  make  the  elevation  of  the  Yellow  Stone 
about  equal  to  that  of  the  Main  Forks  of  the  Missouri,  but  calling  it 
400  feet  loss,  or  3,100  feet  it  gives  for  the  descent  of  the  Yellow 
Stone  to  its  mouth  1,000  feet,  the  distance  being  800  miles,  or  one 
and  one-fourth  of  a  foot  per  mile. 

The  Yellow  Stone  is  described  as  "large  and  navigable  for 
pirogues  and  even  batteaux,  there  being  none  of  the  moving  sand 
bars  which  obstruct  the  navigation  of  the  Missouri ;  while  there  is 
but  one  ledge  of  rocks,  and  this  is  not  difficult  to  pass."  The 
mean  velocity  of  its  current  as  estimated  by  Capt.  Clark  for  the 
800  miles,  is  a  little  over  three  miles  per  hour.  Capt.  "VVyeth  makes 
it  about  four  miles  per  hour  below  the  mouth  of  the  Bighorn,  but 
even  this  shows  that  the  descent  is  probably  less  than  the  amount 
named  above,  and  hence  that  the  estimated  elevation  of  the  ]V[is- 
Bouri  at  the  head  of  the  Falls  is  probably  rather  above  than  below 
tire  truth. 


tl 

111 

b 

til 

til 


35 


Again,  from  the  Upper  Forks  of  the  Joffbrson  river  (the  extreme 
limit  of  canoe  navigation)  which  is  estimated  as  above  to  be  4,100 
feet  above  the  sea,  the  distance  across  to  the  waters  of  Sahnon 
river  branch  of  the  Columbia  is  38  miles,  thirty-seven  miles  of 
which  is  in  the  valley  of  a  branch  of  Jefferson  river  which  has  a 
moderate  ascent.  From  the  summit  between  these  streams,  Lewis 
and  Clark  "  followed  a  descent  much  steeper  than  upon  the  eastern 
side  and,  at  the  distance  of  thrQe  quarters  of  a  mile,  reached  a 
handsome  bold  creek  of  cold  clear  water  running  to  the  West- 
ward." This  proved  to  be  one  of  the  branches  of  Salmon  river, 
and  notwithstanding  the  steeper  descent,  the  comparative  shortneiss 
of  the  distance  from  the  summit,  renders  it  probable  that  the 
elevation  of  this  point  above  the  sea  is  greater  than  that  of  Jefferson 
river  at  the  other  extremity  of  the  portage ;  300  feet  is,  under  the 
circumstances,  a  low  estimate  for  the  difference.  This  gives  for 
the  elevation  of  the  waters  of  Salmon  river  4,400  feet. 

This  river  connects  with  Lewis  river  about  midway  between 
the  mouth  of  Malheur  river  and  the  junction  of  the  former  with 
the  Columbia.  The  elevation  of  this  latter  point  is  1,286  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  of  the  mouth  of  Malheur  river,  according  to 
Fremont,  1,880  feet.  The  descent  of  Lewis  river  in  this  distance 
does  not  appear  to  be  marked  by  any  great  inequalities,  and  giving 
to  the  mouth  of  Salmon  river  a  mean  elevation  between  the  two 
points  named,  it  is  found  to  be  about  1,600  feet;  making  the 
descent  in  that  river  from  the  place  where  it  was  approached  by 
Lewis  and  Clark,  2,800  feet. 

This  descent  takes  place  probably  in  about  400  miles,  following 
the  course  of  the  stream,  giving  an  uniform  rate  of  seven  feet  per 
mile ;  a  very  great  rate  for  so  long  a  distance,  through  a  rock 
bound  valley,  in  a  stream  where  salmon  ascend  the  whole  distance; 
these  fish  being  found  by  Lewis  and  Clark  near  the  place  where 
they  first  met  the  waters  of  Salmon  river. 

The  inference  from  this  is  that  the  elevation  of  the  Salmon  river 
valley  and  of  the  upper  forks  of  the  Missouri  are  not  probably 
andercstimated,  a  conclusion    which  is  confirmed  by  evidence 


86 


derived  from  tlio  Journal  of  the  Rov.  Samuel  Parker,  who  passed, 
in  1835,  from  the  Green  river  of  the  Colorado,  in  lat.  42'^  N.  by 
the  way  of  Pierre's  Hole  and  Henry's  fork  of  Tjcwis  river,  into 
the  Salmon  river  valley  and  thence  to  the  Columbia 

From  this  it  appears  tlint  llic  Sr.lnion  river  where  first  seen  by 
Lewis  and  Clark,  cannot  probably  be  more  elevated  than  Fort 
Hall  on  Lewis  river,  which  Col.  Fremont  ascertained  to  be  4,500 
feet. 

The  summit  passed  over  by  Capt  Clark  on  his  return,  between 
Clark  and  Wisdom  rivers,  and  which  will  be  called  ClarJc's  Pass, 
has  probably  an  elevation  not  differing  very  much  from  that 
between  the  Jefferson  and  the  Salmon  rivers. 

From  Clark's  river  across  to  the  forks  of  Jefferson  river  the 
route  lies  mostly  through  open  prairie  and  is  described  by  Cap 
Clark  as  "  in  fact  a  very  excellent  road,  and  by  cutting  down  a 
few  trees  it  might  be  rendered  a  good  route  for  wagons,  with  the 
exception  of  about  four  miles  over  one  of  the  mountains  which 
would  require  some  levelling." 

The  summit  at  the  Salmon  River  Pass,  is  170  miles  south  of 
the  Lewis  Pass,  and  is  consequently  that  much  nearer  to  the  most 
elevated  points  of  the  group  of  mountains  of  which  Fremont  Peak 
is  the  highest.  It  is  perhaps  reasonable  to  infer  from  this  circum- 
stance, that  it  is  somewhat  higher  than  the  Ticwis  Pass,  but  the 
difference  between  them  may  not  be  very  great. 

Lewis  and  Clark,  as  they  approached  the  Forks  of  Jefferson  river, 
state  that  distant  snoiv-capped  mmmtains  arc  seen  from  the  east 
around  to  the  south  and  west;  and  here  it  will  be  proper  to  notice, 
that  they  experienced  no  difficulties  in  traversing  either  of  tho 
three  routes  described  between  the  waters  of  the  Missouri  and 
those  of  the  Columbia,  but  between  Clarks  river  and  Lewis  river 
their  trials  were  very  great.  The  mountains  there,  on  their  return, 
were  covered  with  snow,  from  two  to  eight  feet  deep,  for  sixty 
miles,  and  destitute  of  game. 

Mr.  Parker  estimates  the  average  height  of  th*.  mountains  on 
Ihe  south  side  of  the  Kooskootskie,  at  about  six  thousand  feet,  tho 


, 


37 


( 


j)o:iks  of  some  of  them  reaching  nearly  or  quite  to  the  limits  of 
perpetual  snow.  The  contrast  between  this  higher  region  and  the 
ground  throughout  Lewis  Pass,  which  was  traversed  only  one 
wtiek  later,  the  clover  covering  the  plains,  and  the  quamash  and 
hois  rouge  being  in  blooni,  and  the  service  berries  being  nearly 
ripe,  (facts  derived  in  part  from  the  journals  of  Serjeant  Gass,  and 
Capt.  Clark,)  shows  an  elevation  for  the  Lewis  Pass  lower,  if  any- 
thing, than  is  assumed  in  the  above  estimate. 

If  attention  is  directed  to  the  map,  it  will  bo  seen  that  the 
plateau  or  base,  on  which  stand  the  Rocky  mountains  proper, 
between  the  waters  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Columbia,  declines 
probably  to  the  north  between  the  latitudes  of  44^^  and  47°.  The 
Missouri  and  Clark's  rivers  between  those  parallels  both  flow  in  that 
direction  until  they  reach  the  latitude  of  47°,  when  the  former 
bears  to  the  cast,  and  the  latter  to  the  west,  indicating  that  in  this 
latitude,  or  near  it,  is  the  line  of  greatest  depression  of  the  general 
surface ;  an  hypothesis  further  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  in  this  line 
are  found  the  channels  or  valleys  of  prominent  branches  of  both 
rivers,  running  in  opposite  directions,  neither  of  which  have  much 
fall,  since  the  waters  of  one  (the  Cokalahishkit)  are  "  turbid," 
flowing  mostly  through  low  lands  over  a  sandy  and  gravelly  bot- 
tom, with  banks  "  though  not  high  never  ovci*flowed,"  and  only  not 
navigable  because  of  "  the  rapids  and  shoals  that  obstruct  it« 
current;"  and  the  other,  (the  Medicine  river)  in  "many  places  deep 
aad  filled  with  islands,"  and  "  navigable,"  flowing  through  a  level 
l)lain. 

Other  Passes  through  this  portion  of  the  Eocky  Mountains  arc 
known  to  exist.  Father  De  Smet  mentions  three.  That  followed 
by  Captain  Lewis  is  doubtless  one  of  the  number.  Another  which 
he  found,  in  his  way  from  the  Mission  of  St.  Mary's  to  the  Yellow 
Stone,  pursues  evidently  a  very  direct  course  to  the  Great  Forks 
of  the  Missouri,  as  the  distance  was  accomplished  in  seven  days. 
lie  says,  "  we  encamped  the  first  night,  Aug.  16,  1846,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Blackfoot  (Cokalahishkit  ?)  forks.  Innumerable  rivulets  and 
several  beautiful  lakes  contribute  largely  to  this  river." 


'^ 


88 


"  Towards  its  head,  to  tho  northeast,  there  is  an  easy  Pass  for 
carts  and  wagons.  The  valley  we  ascended  is  watered  by  a  beau- 
tiful stream,  the  Cart  river.  It  was  through  this  valley  we  wound 
our  way  in  former  days,  with  all  our  baggage  to  the  spot  where 
St  Mary's  now  stands.  We  crossed  the  mountains  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Arrowstone  fork^  by  an  easy  Pass,  and  descended  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Jefferson,  as  far  as  its  outlet,  through  rather  a  wild, 
broken  and  mountainous  country,  with  hero  and  there  an  extensive 
open  plain,  the  ordinary  resort  of  innumerable  herds  of  buffalo 
The  seventh  day  found  us  encamped  in  the  immense  plain  through 
which  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  diverge." 

From  the  main  west  fork  of  Maria's  river  to  ('lark's  river,  there 
is  said  to  be  a  very  feasible  route,  which  if  found  sufficiently 
favorable  is  more  nearly  in  the  direct  course  for  the  proposed  road, 
probably,  than  any  other.  The  valley  of  Maria's  river  is  a  plain, 
mostly  prairie,  so  free  from  obstructions  that  Capt,  Lewis  made  a 
forced  march  along  it  (apprehending  pursuit  from  the  Indians,)  of 
one  hundred  miles  in  eighteen  hours. 

To  the  north  of  this  are  still  other  Passes,  two  of  which  are 
described  by  Gov.  Simpson,  through  one  of  which  he  travelled, 
though  not  without  considerable  effort,  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles 
a  day.  This  is  in  lat.  50 i"  N.  nearly.  The  other  more  to  the 
south,  he  states  from  report  to  be  "  greatly  superior."  These  lead 
from  the  sources  of  the  main  branch  of  the  Columbia  and  tho 
Kootanie  to  those  of  the  south  branch  c^  the  Saskatshawan. 

To  the  north  of  all  these  in  the  vicinity  of  the  high  peaks  of 
Mounts  Brown  and  Hooker,  is  the  Athabasca  Portage,  on  the 
route  traversed  by  the  Express  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
between  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  waters  of  the  Columbia. 

This  Pass  is  ascertained  by  measurement  to  be  7,324  feet  abovcf 
the  sea. 

The  three  Passes  last  named  are  all  north  of  the  latitude  of  49", 
and  are  only  alluded  to  for  the  purpose  of  illustrating  the  general 
character  of  this  portion  of  the  Ilocky  Mountains  A  portion 
which  from  carelessness  on  tho  part  of  our  map  makers,  in  not 


39 


.availing  themselves  of  the  information  within  their  reach,  is 
represented  as  an  elevated,  unbroken  range  of  mountains,  the 
principal  streams  many  of  them  omitted  or  inaccurately  placed ; 
a  fault  which  unfortunately  attaches  as  much  to  the  map  published 
by  order  of  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  1850,  as  to  any  other,  although 
that  map  is,  in  other  respects,  very  correct. 

The  examination  of  the  several  Passes  through  the  mountains 
between  the  Missouri  and  Columbia  rivers,  will  now  be  concluded 
by  adverting  to  the  fact,  as  evidence  of  their  low  elevation,  that  at 
the  time  of  the  visit  of  Lewis  and  Clark  two  numerous  tribes  of 
Indians,  the  Shoshones  and  Tushepahs  were  found  inhabiting  the 
entire  region  in  question ;  at  one  season  subsisting  upon  the  salmon 
taken  from  the  Salmon  River  branch  of  the  Columbia,  and  at 
another  pursuing  the  bison,  and  the  elk  on  the  plains  of  the  Upper 
Missouri,  passing  to  and  fro  between  the  sources  of  those  rivers, 
evidently  without  diflBculty. 

Again  in  the  vegetation  of  the  Passes  as  described  by  Lewis 
and  Clark,  there  are  no  plants  of  an  Alpine  character,  such  as 
would  be  found,  in  that  latitude,  if  the  elevation  was  much 
gi'eater  than  is  assumed,  notwithstanding  the  softening  influ- 
ence of  the  milder  temperature  which  pervades  the  region  on  the 
Pacific,  and  which  is  undoubtedly  felt  within  the  precincts  of 
the  mountains,  and  extends  entirely  through  them  to  their  eastern 
base.  The  last  is  certainly  probable  from  the  circumstance  of  the 
profusion  of  cacti  above  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri. 

Sir  John  Richardson  alludes  to  the  similarity  of  the  Flora  of 
tlie  Valleys  of  the  Columbia  and  Missouri  and  Saskatshawan 
which  he  describes  as  "  even  greater  than  between  the  latter  and 
the  eastern  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,"  and  which  can 
only  be  satisfactorily  explained  by  the  absence  of  a  mountain  bar- 
rier sufficiently  formidable  to  cause  a  dlftcTenco  in  their  organisms. 

The  character  and  numbers  of  the  animals  also  which  were  met 
with  in  the  Passes  by  Lewis  and  Clark,  docs  not  indicate  so  very 
low  or  severe  u  temperature  in  winter,  or  so  very  harsh  or  rigorous 
a  climate,  as  to  render  them  impracticable  for  the  purposes  of  a  rail- 


40 


i  i' 


'!! 


road ;  nor  do  tboy  indicate  any  greater  elevation  than  is  assumed. 
Wild  horses  were  seen  at  the  point  where  Captain  Lewis  left 
Clark's  river,  and  buffalo  were  observed  near  the  summit ;  and  it 
was  one  of  the  well  beaten  roads  formed  principally  by  those  ani- 
mals which  Capt.  Lewis  followed  across  the  mountains  on  his 
return  The  rattlesnake  was  seen  at  Rattlesnake  Cliff,  near  the 
Upper  Forks  of  Jefferson  river,  at  an  elevation  as  high,  probably, 
as  the  summit  of  Lewis  Pass,  an  animal  seldom  found  in  the  east- 
ern States  north  of  the  latitude  of  45°. 

The  extract  given  from  the  journal  of  Captain  Lewis,  is  very 
satisfactory  in  respect  to  the  character  of  the  ground  between  the 
Falls  of  the  Missouri  and  Clark's  river,  for  the  construction  of  a 
railroad. 

The  Hue  throughout  is  situated  in  an  open  valley.  The  surface 
is  very  regular,  and  free  from  the  obstacles  usually  met  with  in 
the  passage  of  summits  having  any  very  considerable  elevation, 
and  evidently  presents  no  extraordinary  difficulties. 

The  distance,  estimating  from  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri  is  about 
180  miles.  The  line  is  well  supplied  with  timber,  and  the  maxi- 
mum gradient  will  not,  it  is  believed,  exceed  fifty  or  sixty  feet  per 
mile,  and  that  for  a  comparatively  short  distance,  near  to  the  main 
summit 

In  proceeding  westward  from  the  summit  of  Lewis  Pass,  the 
first  measurements  met  with  on  the  route  of  the  proposed  railroad, 
are  those  made  at  Fort  Colville  on  the  Columbia,  a  short  distance 
below  the  mouth  of  Clark's  river. 

The  elevation  of  this  place  above  the  sea  is  given  by  Command- 
er Wilkes  at  2,200  feet.  In  another  place  as  deduced  from  the 
temperature  of  boiling  water,  it  is  given  at  2,049  feet.  Assuming 
2,10(^  feet  as  the  elevation  of  the  lino  at  the  Chaudiero  Falls,  ten 
miles  below,  the  descent  to  it  from  the  sunmiit  of  Lewis  Pass  is 
2,900  feet.  2,200  feet  of  this  amount  is  assumed  to  bo  embraced 
in  the  distance  to  Clark's  river,  giving  for  the  inclination  of  this 
portion  of  the  lino  of  the  road  an  average  of  twenty-two  feet  per 
mile,  the  distance  being  90  miles,  which  is  believed  to  bo  as  groat 


41 


ar  inclination  of  the  valleys  of  the  Cokalahishkit  and  east  branch 
of  Clark's  river,  as  is  demanded  from  the  description  of  them  by 
Capt.  Lewis.  The  remaining  seven  hundred  feet  is  the  assumed 
descent  of  the  Clark's  river  valley  to  the  Columbia  near  Fort  Col- 
villo,  a,  distance,  as  estimated  by  the  route  of  the  proposed  road,  of 
260  miles.  This,  after  making  a  liberal  allowance  for  the  increase 
in  distance  by  the  channel  of  the  river,  gives  for  the  average 
inclination  of  the  river,  including  the  "  cascades  and  falls,"  which 
extend  thirty  miles  from  its  mouth,  nearly  two  feet  per  mile. 

Although  the  mean  rate  of  descent  of  Clark's  river  is  thus 
found  to  be  only  from  one-fourth  to  one- third  that  of  the  Salmon 
river,  yet  the  salmon  are  not  found  in  it  for  the  reason  alrea  ly 
stated,  that  they  cannot  surmount  the  Falls  near  its  junction  with 
the  Columbia. 

The  fact  of  the  much  greater  elevation  of  the  mouth  of  Clark's 
nver  as  compared  with  that  of  the  Salmon  river,  is  evidence  of 
the  probable  less  inclination  of  the  valley  of  the  former. 

Bradford,  the  author  of  a  valuable  atlas  and  stati  -tics  of  the 
United  States,  says  that  "  Clark's  river  is  navigable  in  the  upper 
part  of  its  course  down  which  boats  may  deB(  1  to  within  si.\ty 
miles  of  the  Columbia,  when  it  becomes  so  much  .  i-okcii  as  not  to 
be  navigable."  Father  De  Smet  ascended  it  from  St.  Igi;  utius  in 
a  bark  canoe  250  miles  in  si.xteen  days,  in  1845,  to  the  Mii-  ion 
Station  of  St.  Mary's,  and  descended  the  same  distance  in  four 
days.  St.  Ignatius  is  about  midway  between  Lake  Kalispel  and 
the  mouth  of  the  river. 

Gov.  Simpson  states  that  he  left  Lake  Kulspelm  (Kalispel)  in 
the  morning,  and  thence  ran  down  the  river  until  eight  in  the 
evening,  making  probably  a  distance  of  about  fifty  miles,  in  which 
but  one  portage  was  necessary.  From  this  point  his  party  trav- 
elled by  land  to  Fort  Colvillo,  a  distance,  it  is  supposed,  of  sixty  or 
seventy  miles,  the  last  fifty  miles  of  which  was  over  a  prairie 
plain. 

From  this  account  of  the  character  of  Clark's  river,  it  is  apparent 
that  a  very  considerable  portion  of  it  is  navigable,  so  much  as  to 


4i 


t 


make  it  probable  that  the  estimated  descent  of  900  feet  along  its 
valley  to  the  Columbia  is  rather  above  than  below  the  truth, 
seeming  to  confirm  the  conclusion  arrived  at  from  other  sources, 
that  the  elevation  of  the  summit  in  the  Lewis  Pass  cannot  very 
mvch  exceed  the  estimated  amoutit  of  5000  feet  above  the  level  uj 
the  sea. 

From  Fort  Colville  it  is  proposed,  as  already  intimated,  to  carry 
the  hne  of  the  Road  down  on  the  south  side  of  the  Columbia  river 
to  the  Chaudiere  Fulls  or  to  Thompson's  Rapids  a  short  distance 
below,  where  it  is  supposed  a  bridge  can  conveniently  be  con- 
structed without  interfering  with  the  navigation  of  the  river. 
From  thence  it  is  to  be  continued  along  the  valley  of  the  river  on 
the  north  side  to  Fort  Okanagan,  or  to  some  suitable  point  on  the 
Okanagan  river,  a  distance  estimated  at  ninety  miles,  but  which, 
following  the  course  of  the  river,  is  much  greater. 

The  river  in  this  distance  is  navigable  excepting  the  Chaudiere 
Falls  and  Thompson's  Rapids.  It  has  a  strong  current  and  wiien 
swollen,  boats  descend  very  rapidly,  making  easily,  with  but  little 
labor,  over  100  miles  per  day.  The  descent  of  the  Chaudiere 
Falls  and  Thompson's  Rapids  is  given  by  Thornton  at  50  feet 
the  perpendicular  fall  amounting  to  15  or  IG  feet.  There  is  an 
island  at  the  first  fall,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  fall  the  river  is  2,330 
foot  wide.  At  Okanagan  it  is  1 ,600  feet  wide,  and  its  elevation 
above  the  sea,  according  to  "Wilkes,  is  '2,000  feet. 

In  respect  to  the  character  ol'  the  huiface  from  the  eastern 
branch  of  Clark's  river  to  Okanagan,  there  is  little  doubt  of  its 
being  generally  favorable.  If  the  portion  of  the  valley  of  Chn-k's 
river  from  the  Upper  Forks  to  the  Eastern  branch,  as  described  by 
Lewis  and  Clark,  is  any  indication  of  the  character  of  the  valley 
beiow,  it  certainly  does  not  present  any  extraordinary  obstacles  to 
the  construction  of  a  railroad.  The  portion  alluded  lO  embraces 
a  distance  of  sixty  miles  and  is  a  beautiful  valley,  10  to  15  miles  in 
width,  through  which  meanders  Clark's  river,  increasing  from  100 
to  300  feet  in  width;  its  lower  portion  flowing  over  a  gravelly 
bed,  with  low  banks  and  with  a  current  so  equable  as  to  bo  navi- 


>3 


gable.  That  the  valley  of  Clark's  river  below  does  maintain  a 
character  not  very  dissimilar  to  this,  is  in  accordance  with  the  state- 
ments of  Father  De  Smet,  and  the  best  information  to  be  had  in 
regard  to  it. 

If  the  Columbia  is  crossed  at  the  Chaudiere  Falls,  the  hno  will 
probably  leave  Clark's  river  at  some  point  below  the  Kalispel  lake, 
and  cross  the  wide  prairie  which  lies  between  that  river  and  the 
Columbia. 

The  banks  of  the  Columbia  between  the  Falls  and  Okanagan 
are  described  by  Gov.  Simpson,  as  "  monotonous  "  and  "  sandy 
with  rocky  ridges."  The  course  of  the  river  is  very  indirect  and 
the  line  may  occupy  ground  of  a  different  character  from  that 
which  is  exhibited  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river,  either  more  or  less 
favorable,  but  in  neither  case  will  probably  require  any  extraordi- 
nary expense,  or  the  adoption  of  any  gradient  exceeding  about 
thirty  feet  in  the  mile ;  and  the  same  remark  will  apply,  also,  to  the 
portion  in  the  valley  of  Clark's  river.  This  latter  portion  is 
abundantly  supplied  with  timber,  and  although  the  banks  of  tlio 
Columbia  are  destitute,  it  can  easily  be  obtained  by  means  of  the 
navigation  afforded  by  that  river  and  its  tributaries.  Timber  also 
of  the  very  best  quality,  and  in  the  greatest  abundance,  is  found 
on  the  remaining  portion  of  the  line  to  the  Pacific. 

Between  Fort  Okanagan  and  the  Pacific,  or  the  waters  connected 
with  the  straits  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  the  direct  distance  is  not  more 
than  one  hundred  miles  Intervening  is  the  Cascade  or  Presi- 
dent's range  of  mountains;  a  high  range,  extending,  as  already 
described,  parallel  with  the  coast  from  the  southern  limit  of  Oregon 
to  the  northern  limit  of  Washington,  and  having  several  lofty 
conical  peaks,  one  of  which,  Mt.  Baker,  is  situated  near  the  latitude 
of  49°  N.,  and  another,  Mt.  Ranier,  in  lat.  4G^°  N  nearly,  the 
latter  being  u  little  to  the  south  of  the  southern  extremity  of  Puget 
Sound. 

Conmiander  Wilkes  of  the  American  Exploring  Expedition 
when  at  Nisqually,  dispatched  a  pju'ty  under  Lieut,  .loiuison  with 
instructions  to  explore  the  country  across  to  the  Columbia  river. 


44 


This  party  crossed  the  mountains  north  of  Mt.  Ranicr,  find 
thence  continued  on  in  a  north  easterly  direction  to  Fort  Oka- 
nagan. 

Mt.  Ranier  was  ascertained  by  triangulation  to  be  12,330  feet 
above  the  sea,  while  the  greatest  elevation  attained  by  Lieut. 
Johnson  in  crossing  the  Eange  was  found  by  barometrical  meas- 
urement, May  27th,  1841,  to  bo  5,0D2  feet,  from  whence  Mt. 
Ranier  bore  S.  S.  W. 

The  snow  is  described  as  ten  feet  in  depth  at  the  deepest  point 
on  the  summit,  and  extending  altogether  eight  miles,  the  summit 
being  five  miles  across.  On  the  4th  of  June  Lieut.  Johnson 
broke  his  barometer,  his  last  measurement  being  on  the  oasstcrri 
Bide  of  the  Range,  near  the  snow  line,  at  an  elevation 
of  5,203  feet. 

He  gives  a  view  of  the  appearance  of  Mt.  Ranicr, 
with  a  portion  of  the  Range  on  each  side,  as  seen  from 
an  elevated  point  after  passing  the  Range,  a  coirect 
copy  of  which  is  annexed. 

This  view  when  considered  in  connection  with  the 
measurements  decribcd  above,  authorize  the  conclusion 
that  there  may  be  Passes  in  this  Range,  at  no  great 
distance  even  from  Mt.  Ranier,  which  do  not  exceed 
about  4,000  feet  in  elevation,  or  may  bo  reduced  to 

that  amount  at  no  very  great  expense. 

I* 

A  summit  of  this  height  will  give  2,000  feet  ascent-g 
from  Fort  Okanagan,  which,  if  the  Hue  is  carriedp^ 
directly  towards  the  mountains,  must  be  overcome  inS 
about  50  miles,  at  a  maximum  grade  of  probably  60 
feet  per  mile,  or,  if  laid  obliquely,  so  as  to  increase 
the  distance,  may  probably  be  reduced  to  50  feet  per 
mile. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  mountains,  the  descent  to 
the  Pacific,  if  made  in  a  direct  line  of  50  miles  in 
length,  gives  an  average  of  80  feet  per  mile,  and  u 
maximum  probably  of    100  feet  per  mile.      If    it 


45 


amounts  to  1 10  feet  per  mile,  in  any  place,  it  will  then  be  less  thun 
the  maximum  on  one  of  the  principal  Railroads  of  the  United 
States,  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio.  This  is  evidently  the  only  por- 
tion of  the  entire  line  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Pacific  requiring 
the  adoption  of  what  may  be  considered  high  gradients.  It  is 
however  limited  in  extent,  and  being  near  the  terminus  is  favorably 
situated  for  the  economical  use  of  auxilary  power.  The  entire 
distance  on  the  route  as  described  from  Chicago  to  the  Pacific  is 
1,960  miles,  and  from  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior  1,000  miles. 
These  distances  are  12  per  cent  greater  than  the  direct  distance 
between  the  points  named,  to  cover  the  necef^sary  deviations  from 
a  direct  course. 

The  remarks  above  are  predicated  upon  the  supposition  that  no 
lower  summit  can  be  obtained  than  is  assumed  of  4,000  feet.  The 
sketch  presented  affords  encouragement  of  a  still  lower  summit, 
even  upon  or  near  the  direct  route.  This,  in  addition  to  the  fact 
in  which  all  the  authorities  concur,  that  the  lat.  of  48°  N.  is  the 
limit  or  boundary  between  the  trap  and  granite  formations,  indi- 
cates the  possibility  of  a  favorable  (;liange  in  the  elevation  of  tlio 
Range  at  that  point  Near  this  line  also,  are  the  valleys  of  the 
Harriere  and  the  Tiixpam  rivers,  the  former  a  tributary  of  tho 
Columbia,  and  the  latter  discharging  into  the  Pacific,  circumstances 
favorable  and  encouraging  in  respect  to  finding  a  lower  pass  for 
the  Road. 

Again  it  appears  from  tho  surveys  made  by  the  exploring  expe- 
dition that  the  latitude  of  49°  N.  (the  international  boundary)  la 
only  five  miles  south  of  the  mouth  of  Frazcr's  river,  wliere  it  meets 
the  Pacific. 

Frazcr's  river.  Tike  tho  Columbia  finds  its  way  to  the  soa 
through  an  opening  in  the  Cascade  Range,  and  from  its  nearness  to 
the  lino  of  49*,  there  is  reason  to  infer  that  the  Range  may  be  in 
a  good  measure  avoided  and  still  keep  the  road  within  the  limits 
of  tho  United  States. 

Tn  respect  to  tho  selection  of  a  point  for  the  terminus  of  the- 
proposed  Road  a  few  words  only  will  be  necessary. 


40 


That  point  whicli  possesses  the  requisite  facilities  in  respect  to 
liarbor  accommodations,  on  a  large  scale,  and  in  the  highest  degree, 
with  ground  tlio  most  suitable  in  elevation  and  extent  for  the  site 
of  a  city  of  the  first  magnitude,  with  a  country  in  the  vicinity  the 
mof^t  fertile,  intersected  by  streams  which  afford  abundance  of 
water  and  of  water  power,  and  which  withal  is  nearest  to  the 
entrance  from  the  ocean  by  the  Straits  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  is  the 
best. 

This  last  consideration,  that  of  a  convenient  communication 
with  the  sea,  is  important  to  enable  vessels,  particularly  coasters, 
and  others  running  between  the  ports  on  the  Pacific  south,  and 
and  those  situated  to  the  North  and  in  Eastern  Asia,  to  enter  and 
receive  and  discharge  freight  and  passengers  with  the  least  pos- 
sible loss  of  time,  and  with  the  least  expense. 

Puget  Sound,  therefore,  it  will  be  seen,  is  too  far  south  for  this 
purpose,  and  the  proper  point  must  be  sought  for  on  the  eastern 
snore  of  Admiralty  Inlet,  near  its  northern  extremity ;  or  between 
this  latter  point  and  the  international  boundary,  in  what  is  termed 
the  Archipelago  of  Arro. 


■     0 


n 


] 


'■>* 


ESTIMATE    OF    COST. 


The  portion  of  the  line  embraced  in  the  States  of  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin,  70  miles  in  one,  and  290  miles  in  the  other,  being  in  a 
course  of  construction  v;iU  not  be  included  in  this  estimate. 

This  portion  completed  for  a  single  track  and  equipped  ready 
for  use  will  probaly  cost  not  far  from  ten  millions  of  dollars. 

The  length  of  the  remaining  portion  from  the  west  line  of  Wis- 
consin to  the  Pacific  as  estimated,  is  1,600  miles. 

The  cost  of  this  for  a  single  track  complete,  with  the  requisite 
turn-outs,  the  iron  rails  weighing  100  lbs.  per  yard,  with  all  the 
necessary  buildings  and  equipments  is  estimated  as  follows : 
From  the  Wisconsin  line  to  Red  River  the  point  of 

divergence  of  the  branch  to  Lake  Superior,  220 

miles  at  $40,000, $8,800,000 

From  Red  River  to  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri, 

over  the  Missouri  plains,  the  surface  being  very 

favorable,  and  distance  720  miles,  at  $45,000  -  32,400,000 
From  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri  to  Okanasran 

river,  over  ground  more  difficult  of  construction 

and  access,  530  miles  at  $60,000,  -        -        -      31,800,000 

From  Okanagan  to  the  Pacific,  including  the  passage 

of  the  Cascade  mountains,  120  miles,  at  $70,000,         8,400,000 


Forward 


$81,400,000 


48 


Amount  brought  forward,       -        •        -^     -        -     $31,400,000 
Adil  cost  of  branch  to  Lake  Superior,  220  miles,  at 


i 


$40,000, 


Contincfcncies,  add  - 


8,800,000 

$90,200,000 
9,800,000 

8100.000,000 


Total  for  1820  miles,         .... 
equal  to  $55,000  per  mile  average. 

The  branch  to  Lake  Sup(!rior  is  supposed  to  diverge  from  the 
main  line  at  the  Red  river;  thence  across  the  Hauteurs  dcs  lerrcs 
to  the  Mississippi,  at  the  mouth  of  Crow-wing  river;  thence  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Mississippi  river  to  where  it  bends  to  the  north ; 
t'lence  passing  near  Sandy  Lake  to  a  tcrmiiuis  at  the  west  end  of 
Lake  Superior,  where  its  elevation  above  the  sea  is  supposed  to 
be  about  GoO  leet. 

So  favorable  is  the  surface  of  the  country  generally  along  tho 
})roposed  Northern  route  to  the  Pacific,  that  a  road  of  the  same 
character,  if  located  cast  of  the  Mississippi,  could  be  built  and 
equipped  complete,  at  a  cost  not  exceeding  $10,000  per  mile 
Tlie  addition  to  this  amount  of  upwards  of  thirty  per  cent,  is 
believed  to  be  sufiicient  to  cover  the  extra  cost  of  transportation 
of  materials  and  provisions,  and  the  other  disadvantages  incident 
to  the  construction  of  the  road  through  a  country,  the  most  of 
which  is  in  a  state  of  nature,  having  no  other  facilities  of  inter- 
communication than  arc  presented  by  the  navigable  waters  of  the 
Mississippi,  ^lissouri  and  Columbia;  facilities  which  are  indeed  of 
very  great  importance,  and  which  will  contribute  largely  to  dimin- 
ish the  cost  of  the  road  on  the  route  in  question. 

The  actual  cost  of  the  lload  Avill  depend  very  much  upon  the 
time  occupied  in  its  construction.  The  revenue'  to  be  derived  from 
it  will  be  limited  until  the  entire  line  is  completed.  It  will  be  an 
object  therefore  to  accomplish  it  in  the  shortest  time  possible 
consistent  with  a  due  regard  to  its  cost.  If  immediately  com- 
menced and  prosecuted  with  abundant  means,  it  is  not  probable 


li 


^ 


3 

ce     (SI 


@ 


^4 


"^ 


49 

that  it  can  be  accomplished  in  leas  than  from  ten  to  twelve  years, 
delays  caused  by  negotiations  with  the  Indian  tribes  not  included. 
During  this  period  if  we  may  judge  from  the  past,  the  increase  in 
the  population  of  the  United  States  will  not  be  less  than  ten 
millions,  a  large  portion  of  which  increase  will  undoubtedly  be 
found  located  on  and  near  the  lino  of  the  proposed  Road.  So  that 
by  the  time  it  is  completed  it  will  have  a  way  business  of  some 
amount  which  will  thence  forward  be  constantly  augmenting  and 
form  ultimately  a  prominent  item  in  the  revenue  of  the  Road. 


CLIMATE.  SOIL  AND  PRODUCTIONS. 


Hi  I 


The  portions  of  the  States  of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  through 
wliich  the  proposed  route  passes  are  perhaps  unsurpassed  in 
fertility  of  soil  and  healthfulness  of  climate  by  any  other  region  of 
equal  extent  in  the  United  States. 

The  former  is  now  too  well  known  to  need  any  especial  notice  in 
this  place.  As  it  respects  the  latter,  the  fact  of  an  increase  in  itf 
j)opulation  of  nearly  half  a  million  of  souls  in  the  last  ten  years, 
and  the  unexampled  advance  in  the  value  of  real  estate  within  its 
limits,  is  evidence  that  in  all  the  essentials  which  serve  to  render  it 
a  desirable  habitation  for  man,  it  is  not  excelled  by  any  other  of 
tiie  States  of  the  Union. 

In  addition  to  its  capabilities  as  an  agricultural  region,  its  south- 
'Acstcrn  portion  is  rich  in  the  ore  of  lead  to  a  degree  unparalleled ; 
more  than  forty  million'^  of  pounds  being  now  sent  to  market 
annually;  the  business  of  mining  being  still  in  its  infancy,  only 
waiting  the  iutlux  of  capital  and  the  facilities  of  conuuunicatioti, 
now  in  progress,  to  be  greatly  augmented. 

The  northern  portion  is  e(|u;illy  rich  in  copper  and  iron,  find  also 
ill  timber.  These  valuable  resources,  combined  with  its  salubrious 
climate,  and  exceedingly  advantageous  position,  being  bounded  by 
l!ie  navigable  waters  of  the  Misijissippi  on  one  side,  and  by  those 
of  Lake  Michigan  on  the  other,  and  Lake  Superior  on  the  north, 
give  assurance  that  Wisconsin  is  destined  soon  to  occupy  a  position 
in  the  rank  of  the  most  populous  ai\(l  intliicnli.il  States  of  the  Union. 

5) 


I 


n'\ 


51 


m 


i  < 


The  territory  of  Minnesota  through  which  the  proposed  route 
passes  from  its  eastern  to  its  western  limits,  and  in  which  is  located 
the  branch  to  Lake  Superior,  although  situated  to  the  north  and 
west  of  Wisconsin,  with  its  surface  more  elevated  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  possesses  for  the  most  part  a  fertile  soil,  capable  of 
yielding  largely  under  proper  culture,  and  has  also  a  very  health 
ful  climate.  It  has,  moreover,  a  bountiful  supply  of  timber  in  its 
castei-n  and  north-eastern  portions,  and  is  doubtless  rich  in  copper, 
iron  and  coal,  and  is  in  all  respects  well  adapted  for  the  purposcH 
of  a  residence  for  man,  and  has  from  the  great  similarity  of  its 
climate  and  character  of  its  productions,  justly  received  the  appel- 
lation of  the  New  England  of  the   West. 

The  mean  elevation  of  its  surface  above  the  level  of  the  sea  is 
about  1,200  or  1,300  feet;  the  highest  ground  within  its  limits 
being  that  of  the  Coteau  du  Missouri,  over  which  the  line  of  the 
proposed  road  passes,  and  which  is  from  2,000  to  2,300  feet 
above  the  sea,  forming  there  the  highest  or  culminating  point,  as 
already  stated,  in  the  great  plain  which  stretches  from  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  to  Hudson's  Bay.  This  highest  ground  has  only 
one-half  the  elevation  of  the  prairie  plains  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains about  the  sources  of  the  Platte  and  Arkansas,  a  difference, 
in  its  effect  on  temperature,  equivalent  to  seven  or  eight  degrees 
of  latitude. 

Of  the  capabilities  of  Minnesota  as  an  agricultural  region,  a  very 
correct  idea  can  be  formed  from  the  statements  of  those  who  have 
explored  it  and  resided  within  its  limits. 

Its  ccntnil  portion  is  represented  by  Nicolet  as  "  a  most  beau- 
tiful tract  of  land  diversified  by  hiils,  dales,  wood-lands  and  lakes, 
tlie  latter  abounding  in  tish."  From  the  most  elevated  poitit,s 
"grand  views  are  presented"  "There  can  bo  no  doubt,"  ho 
states.  "  that  in  future  times  this  region  will  l)e  the  summer 
rosort  of  the  wealthy  of  the  land."  The  valUy  watered  by  the 
Tchansansan  or  James  river  is  described  as  an  '  immense  })rairie, 
deemed  by  travellers,  perhaps,  the  most  beautiful  within  the  terri- 
tory of  the  United  States." 


52 


K'll:, 


The  valley  of  the  St.  Peters  presents  "  a  level  country  inter- 
rupted by  moderate  undulations  of  the  surface  and  beautified  by 
intervening  prairie,  tracts  of  wood-land,  and  lakes."  The  river 
"'  has  gently  sloping  borders  divided  into  natural  terraces,  covered 
by  a  luxuriant  grassy  swf.rd." 

The  valley  of  the  JNIississippi  from  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  is 
*'  wide,  with  river  banks  of  moderate  elevation,  forming  a  retreating 
succession  of  terraces,  delightful  to  the  view,"  ornamented  with  a 
variety  of  timber. 

Farther  up,  about  the  Hauteurs  dcs  terreSy  "  the  forests  are  more 
varied  and  the  surface  is  variegated  with  a  great  number  of  lakes." 
The  valley  of  Red  river  has  already  been  described,  and  its  beauty 
and  fertility  noticed.  The  portion  lying  west  of  the  James  and 
Red  rivers  and  embracing  the  vast  plateau  of  the  Coteau  du  Mis- 
souri has  already  been  described  as  destitute  of  trees.  This  is 
attributable  mainly  to  the  elevation  of  its  surface,  and  the 
absence  of  streams  of  sufficient  size  to  check  the  advance  of  the 
fires  which  sweep  annually  over  all  the  wild  prairies  of  the  west. 
It  is  this  cause,  more  than  any  other,  wiiich  has  denuded  them  of 
their  timber,  and  prevented  its  growth,  since,  wherever  the  fires 
have  been  prevented  by  the  improvements  which  have  been  made, 
in  fencing  off  portions  for  cultivation,  a  spontaneous  and  vigorous 
growth  of  timber  succeeds.  It  is  therefore,  not  unreasonable  to 
suppose  that  in  time  there  may  be,  in  all  the  fertile  portions  of 
the  prairie  plains  of  the  west,  a  fair  supply  of  timber  both  for 
ornament  and  use. 

Capt.  Jona.  Carver,  who,  more  than  eighty  years  ago,  spent  three 
years  on  the  Upper  Alississippi,  gives  substantially  the  same 
account  of  the  country  as  Nicolet.  He  states  that  **  the  river  St. 
Pierre  flows  through  a  most  delightful  country  abounding  in  all  the 
necessaries  of  life.  At  a  little  distance  from  the  river  are  emin- 
ences from  which  you  have  views  that  cannot  bo  exceeded,"  a  coun- 
try which  promised,  in  his  opinion,  at  some  future  period  "  to  bo 
an  inexhaustible  source  of  riches  to  that  people  who  shall  bo  so 
happy  as  to  possess  it." 


'■•I 


; 


53 


In  looking  abroad  over  the  vast  and  fertile  region  before  him  he 
seems  to  have  been  deeply  and  justly  impressed  in  regard  to  its 
future  destiny,  for  we  find  him  indulging  in  the  following  remarks : 
"  To  what  power  or  authority  this  new  world  will  become  depend- 
ent after  it  has  arisen  from  its  present  uncultivated  state,  time 
alone  can  discover,  but  as  the  seat  of  empire  from  time  immemo- 
rial has  been  gradually  progressing  towards  the  west,  there  is  no 
doubt,  but  that  mighty  kingdoms  will  emerge  from  these  wilder- 
nesses, and  stately  palaces,  and  solemn  temples  with  gilded  spires 
reaching  to  the  skies,  supplant  the  Indian  huts  whose  only  deco- 
rations are  barbarous  trophies  of  vanquished  enemies." 

Col.  Long,  who  explored  the  region  from  the  Upper  Missouri  to 
the  Eed  river  of  the  north  in  1822  and  1823,  states  that  at  Pem- 
bina, one  of  the  Selkirk  villages  situated  on  the  Red  river  in  the 
latitude  of  the  northern  boundary  of  j\Iinnesota,  "  agriculture  is 
attended  wtih  success,  wheat,  barley,  millet,  pulse,  potatoes,  and 
other  culinary  roots  "  are  cultivated. 

Gov.  Simpson,  in  his  journal  of  a  tour  to  the  Pacific  already 
referred  to,  in  speaking  of  the  valley  of  the  Red  river  at  Fort 
Garry,  80  miles  north  of  Pembina,  describes  it  as  being,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river,  one  vast  prairie,  and  on  the  other  side  as 
wooded  with  birch,  oak,  elm,  and  pine.  That  the  soil  yields  forty 
bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  and  even  after  being  cultivated 
twenty  years,  yields  fifteen  to  twenty-five  buohels  per  acre. 

lie  describes  the  summers  "  the  same  as  in  Canada,  though  not 
quite  so  long."  "  Cattle  maintain  themselves  in  the  settlements 
seven  months,  and  are  maintained  five  months."  He  says  also  that 
the  shores  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  are  fertile,  "  bringing  in 
maize  to  perfection." 

Sir  John  Richardson  states  that  the  vegetation  in  the  valley  of 
Red  river,  1,000  to  1,200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  similar 
to  what  it  is  in  t)*o  State  of  New  Hampshire  at  the  same  elevation. 
The  difference  in  latitude  of  these  two  portions  of  the  country 
being  not  less  than  about  five  degrees,  equal  to  350  miles  nearly  in  . 
distance. 


64 


Schoolcraft  informs  us  that  "  corn  is  a  profitable  crop  at  Rod 
Lake  (which  is  situated  north  of  the  Hauteurs  des  tcrres,)  and 
has  for  many  j'ears  been  furnished  in  considerable  quantities  from 
this  lake  to  the  posts  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  and  even  as  far 
oast  as  Fond  du  Lac."  The  specimens  of  grains,  etc  ,  from  Minne- 
sota now  on  exhibition  at  the  Crystal  Palace  in  New  York,  are 
very  conclusive  evidence  of  the  agricultural  capabilities  of  tiie 
portions  of  the  territory  under  cultivation. 

Capt.  Pope  who  conducted  the  explorations  made  in  Minnesota, 
by  order  of  the  Government,  in  1849,  after  stating  that  the  Mis- 
sissippi was  navigable  nearly  400  miles  in  Minnesota;  the  Red 
river  the  same  distance;  the  St.  Peters  120  miles,  an  improvement 
being  required  at  one  point  only;  and  the  Jacques  river  nearly 
200  miles;  remarks,  that  "nature  has  been  more  lavish  in  her 
gifts  of  soil  than  in  her  channels  of  navigation,"  The  numerous 
lakes  between  the  Mississippi  and  Red  rivers  and  St  Peters  are 
"  surrounded  by  a  gently  undulating  country  of  the  most  fertile 
character,  and  abundantly  supplied  with  all  of  the  forest  trees 
common  to  so  northern  a  latitude."  Ho  traversed  the  territory 
north  and  south  500  miles,  and  "  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
swamps  saw  not  one  acre  of  unproductive  land."  "  The  soil  is 
tlie  black  mould  several  feet  in  thickness,  with  various  proportions 
of  sand  sufficient  to  give  the  necessary  warmth." 

Capt.  Pope  "  knows  of  no  country  where  so  many  advantages 
are  presented  to  the  farmer  and  manufacturer."  He  thinks  tlio 
climate  on  the  south  and  east  slopes  of  that  portion  of  the  terri- 
tory similar  to  that  of  Iowa  or  Western  Illinois.  The  valley  of 
the  Red  River  ho  states,  "  is  alluvial  in  its  formation,"  and  "  pre- 
sents in  its  whole  extent  (300  by  150  miles)  an  "  almost  unbroken 
level  of  rich  prairie  intersected  by  the  heavily  timbered  tributaries 
of  the  river,"  the  main  river  itself  being  also  "  heavily  timbered  on 
both  banks  with  elm,  oak,  maple,  ash,"  &c.  This  valley,  ho  states 
*'  is  among  the  finest  wiieat  countries  of  the  world.'^  The  pine  is 
not  found  within  its  limits,  but  the  oak  and  elm  "  attain  a  size 
which  ho  had  never  seen  elsewhere." 


55 

He  describes  the  valley  ««f  the  Mississippi  above  the  Falls  of  St 
Anthony  to  be  remarkably  productive,  and  thinks  he  is  "  not  too 
sanguine  or  enthusiastic  "  when  he  affirms,  that  no  state  or  terri- 
tory in  the  West  presents  so  many  or  such  remarkable  advantages 
to  the  farmer  or  manufacturer;  "  and  he  is  "  convinced,  that  those 
who  may  be  induced  by  the  perusal  of  his  report  to  emigrate  to 
the  territory  of  Minnesota,  will  find  their  anticipations  more  than 
realized ;  "  and  that  he  has  said  too  little  in  its  favor  rather  than 
too  much. 

In  respect  to  climate,  all  the  authorities  concur  in  stating  that 
Minnesota  and  the  region  west  to  the  mountains  possesses  in  gen- 
eral a  very  pure  atmosphere,  dry  and  bracing,  remarkably  salu- 
brious, and  a  temperature,  although  at  times  tending  somewhat  to 
extremes,  is  not  on  the  whole  unfavorable  to  the  growth  and  matu- 
rity of  both  animals  and  vegetables. 

Although  as  a  general  rule  the  average  annual  temperature  of 
places  upon  the  earth's  surface  diminishes  as  the  distance  from  the 
Equator  or  latitude  increases,  this  relation  is  frequently  varied  by 
local  and  other  causes,  such  as  proximity  to  mountains,  and  to  the 
sea  or  largo  bodies  of  water,  the  elevation  above  the  octsan  level, 
the  direction  of  the  prevailing  winds,  and  character  and  tempera- 
ture of  the  surface  over  which  they  pass. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  of  places  on  our  Atlantic  coast  is 
known  to  be  eight  or  ten  degrees  lower  than  it  is  in  places  in  the 
same  latitude  upon  the  western  coast  of  Europe.  Paris  which  is 
in  latitude  48°  50'  N.  has  the  same  mean  annual  temperature  with 
New  York  City  which  is  in  latitude  40°  42'  N. 

If  a  line  be  drawn  from  the  Atlantic  coast  westwardly,  passing 
along  that  part  of  the  surface  of  the  country  which  has  a  mean 
annual  temperature  of  SC  F.  it  will  commence  at  or  near  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  thence  run  south-westerly,  curving  northwardly  into 
the  larger  valleys,  reaching  as  far  as  Newburg  on  the  Hudson  and 
Uarrisburg  or  Sunbury  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  in  its  south-west- 
erly course  rising  as  it  proceeds,  until  it  attains  an  elevation  which 
will  carry  it  across  the  AUeghanies  to  Pittsburg,  which  is  700  feet 
above  the  sea. 


56 


From  Pittsburgh  it  continues  through  the  central  portions  of 
Ohio  and  Indiana  to  the  Illinois  line.  Thence  inclining  more  to 
the  north,  and  curving  into  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  valleys  it 
crosses  the  latter  near  the  mouth  of  the  Sioux  river,  from  whence 
it  sweeps  around  to  the  south-west  along  the  surface  of  the  vast 
inclined  plain  which  forms  the  western  slope  of  the  Mississippi 
valley,  rising  as  it  proceeds,  to  some  point  where  its  elevation  is 
high  enougli,  and  the  Kocky  Mountains  are  low  enough,  to  allow  it 
to  pass  over  on  to  their  western  slope.  Thence  by  a  very  irregular 
line,  caused  by  the  deep  valleys  and  high  mountain  ranges,  which 
are  found  west  of  the  main  range  of  mountains,  in  a  north-westerly 
direction,  probably  by  the  valley  of  Lewis  river  and  thence  to  the 
Pacific  at  a  point,  a  little  north  of  the  latitude  of  49'. 

If  the  line  of  temperature  of  45'  F.  be  traced  in  like  manner,  it 
will  be  seen  to  commence  at  a  point  on  the  coast  east  of  Boston, 
thence  south-westerly  by  a  similar  line  to  that  above  described, 
curving  further  up  the  valleys  of  the  Connecticut  and  the  Hudson, 
reaching  to  Fort  Edward  on  the  latter ;  thence  passing  along  the 
north  slope  of  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  across  to  the  valley  of 
Lake  Ontario,  and  along  the  east  and  north  sides  of  that  lake 
From  thence  across  the  Canadian  peninsula  to  Lake  Huron  and 
across  that  lake,  the  State  of  Michigan  and  Lake  Michigan  to 
Green  Bay  in  Wisconsin. 

From  Green  Bay  it  curves  to  the  south  in  its  passage  to  the 
Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  on  the  Mississippi  where  it  crosses  that 
river.  Thence  it  takes  a  south-west  course  curving  again  some- 
what to  the  north  in  passing  the  Missouri  and  thence  along  the 
western  slope  of  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  valleys  at  a  higher 
elevation  than  the  line  first  named  of  about  1,700  feet. 

To  the  south  of  the  line  thus  described  is  an  isolated  portion  or 
zone  of  the  Appalachian  chain  of  mountains  which  has  a  maximum 
temperature  of  45'',  a  feature  in  which  this  line  differs  from  the 
one  first  described. 

If  the  isothermal  line  of  40°  be  traced,  it  will  be  found  to  diflfer 
very  widely  in  places  in  position  from  the  lino  of  45°.    It  will 


57 


commenco  near  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  thence  south-west- 
erly passing  south  of  St  John,  N  B.  From  thence  it  will  be 
deflected  successively  to  the  south  by  the  mountains  of  Maine, 
New  Hiimpsbire  and  Vermont,  to  the  valley  of  Lake  Champlain. 
Thenc  3  along  the  western  slope  of  the  Green  Mountains  northerly, 
crossing  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence  in  Canada  and  thence 
westerly  along  the  valley  of  the  Ottawa  north  ol  Lake  Huron  and 
near  to  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior.  Thence  to  the  north 
and  east  of  Eainy  Lake  and  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  to  the  south 
end  of  Lake  Winnipeg.  Thence  westerly  across  the  prairie  plains 
of  the  Saskatshawan,  passing  to  the  north  of  the  south  branch  of 
that  river,  and  curving  around  to  the  south  as  it  approaches  tho 
elevated  country  near  the  Eocky  Mountains,  at  the  sources  of  the 
Missouri,  where  if  not  elevated  enough  to  pass  through  the  depres- 
sion which  there  exists  in  the  mountain  chain,  it  will  take  an  east- 
erly course,  doubling  tho  Wind  river  or  Black  Mountains,  and 
like  the  lines  already  described,  will  go  on  south  increasing  in 
elevation  until  it  finds  some  opening  about  1,G00  feet  higher  than 
the  last,  through  which  it  can  enter  the  valley  of  the  Eio  Del  Norte 
or  Colorado,  and  thence  ultimately  into  that  of  the  Columbia. 

The  three  lines  of  temperature  above  described,  will  be  foumJ, 
all  of  them,  to  terminate  on  the  Pacific  shore  to  the  north  of  tht) 
national  boundary,  the  mean  annual  temperature  at  the  mouth  of 
tlie  Columbia  having  been  ascertained,  by  observations  to  be  about 
55°,  while  that  of  Puget  sound  is  but  little  ditferent,  a  tempera- 
ture as  mild  as  that  of  Baltimore  on  the  Atlantic,  and  said  to  be 
more  equable,  so  great  is  the  difi'erence  and  so  much  milder  is  the 
climate  on  the  Pacific  than  it  is  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

These  isothermal  lines  or  lines  of  equal  temperature  will  exhibit 
more  irregularities  west  than  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  owing 
to  the  number  and  elevation  of  the  mountain  ranges  into  which  the 
surface  of  the  country  is  broken,  and  will  present  more  isolated 
districts  or  zones  differing  in  temperature  from  other  districts  lying 
either  to  the  north  or  to  tho  south 


I 


'68 


A  correct  chart  oxhiblting  those  lines  of  uniform  temperature 
■vrould  be  a  very  interesting  addition  to  the  stock  of  geographical 
knowled<>-e.  a  desideratum  which  cannot  be  fully  realized,  until  ob- 
Bervations  have  been  sufficiently  multiplied  for  the  purpose. 
To  return  now  to  Minnesota. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Fort  Snelling,  by  a  series  of 
observations,  as  already  stated,ha8  been  acertained  to  be  45o, 
This  is  the  temperature  narly  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  of  Windsor, 
Vt,  and  of  Oxford  and  Cherry  Valley,  New  York. 

On  the  Ilaut  tcrres  of  the  Mississippi,  at  Itasca  Lake,  the  most 
elevated  of  the  many  crystal  sheets  of  water  that  gem  that  por- 
tion of  the  State,  M.  Nicolet  found  the  mean  temperature  to  bo 
43j[°  F.  and  he  says  that,  "  having  taken  great  pains  in  determining 
the  temperature  I  have  a  right  to  believe  that  it  represents  pretty 
accurately  the  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  country  under 
examination." 

This  is  the  mean  temperature  of  Burlington,  Vermont,  where 
the  elevation  above  the  sea  is  only  346  feet,  and  is  three  degrees 
milder  than  the  temperature  of  Williamstown,  Vermont,  which 
has  the  same  elevation  above  the  sea  as  Itasca  Lake. 

From  this  it  is  inferred  that  the  mean  annual  temperature  of 
Afinnesota  is  no  lower,  and  is  in  all  respects  equally  favorable  with 
Vermont.  Of  the  character  and  capacity  of  the  latter  as  an  agri- 
cultural region  there  is  of  course  no  doubt,  and  there  should  be 
none  in  respect  to  Minnesota.  For  the  growing  of  grains,  and  for 
gi'azing  it  will  be  found  to  be  surpassed  by  but  few  other  States 
in  the  Union. 

The  temperature  at  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi  as  ascertained 
by  ]\L  Nicolet  is  in  accordance  with  the  temperature  of  other 
places  lower  down  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  At  Baton  Rouge  for 
instance  in  lat.  30^28'  N.  the  mean  temperature  is  65°  10'  F.  At 
St.  Louis  lat.  38°  36'  N.  it  is  53°'  50'  F.  the  elevation  above  the 
sea  400  feet,  and  at  Itasca  Lake  lat.  47'=  14'  N.  elevation  1575  feet 
above  the  sea,  it  is  as  stated,  43 1°  F.  equal  to  about  44'  of  latitude 
or  50  miles  nearly  along  the  slope  pf  the  valley  for  each  degree  of 
temperature. 


59 


Seymour,  in  his  "  Sketohes  of  Minnesota,"  informs  us  that 
"  early  frosts  in  the  latitude  of  St.  Anthony  appear  to  bo  uncom- 
mon. Frosts  seldom  occur  before  the  15th  to  20th  September,  or 
Ist  of  October."  He  names  a  gentleman  now  a  resident  of  Min- 
nesota, formerly  from  Galena,  Illinois,  who  was  "  delighted  with 
the  climate  and  thought  it  superior  to  Northern  Illinois,  as  it  was 
not  subject  to  sudden  changes."  He  states  that  he  has  heard  "  the 
same  view^s  expressed  by  many  settlers  in  Minnesota  who  formerly 
resided  some  four  or  five  degrees  further  south."  He  says  also 
that  "the  climate  is  well  adapted  to  corn,  wheat,  barley,  oats, 
pulse,  etc.,"  and  that  "  the  potatoes  .ire  of  a  quality  superior  to 
those  raised  in  the  Middle  States."  That  "many  farmers  say 
their  cattle  have  a  dry  coat  in  winter  and  sufter  less  from  cold  than 
in  a  warmer  climate,"  and  that  cattle  ran  at  large  the  preceding 
winter  in  hit.  46  N.  and  were  in  a  thriving  condition  in  the 
spring." 

Mr.  Schoolcraft  in  a  more  recent  work  than  the  one  already  re- 
ferred to,  reaffirms  his  previous  statement.  He  says  that  "  the 
Zea  Mays  is  raised  in  great  perfection  in  the  valley  of  the  Red 
river  and  of  great  lake  Winnipeg,  which  is  north-west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. In  the  settlements  of  Lord  Selkirk  the  grain  crops  are 
unfailing."  "  Indian  corn,  which  cannot  be  cultivated  at  Sault  St. 
Marie  in  lat.  463-®  N..  is  raised  by  the  Indians  annually,  and  ripens 
early  in  August  at  the  very  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and  at  Red 
lake  north  of  them.  The  latter  point  is  very  near  the  latitude 
of  49°  N." 

"  It  is  certain,"  he  states,  "  that  the  extreme  upper  ^MississipjVi 
escapes  those  icy  winds  from  Hudsons  and  Baffins  Bays  which  are 
often  felt  during  the  spring  months  in  Northern  Michigan  and 
Northern  Wisconsin." 

M.  Nicolet  states  that  of  all  the  Indian  nations  visited  by  him 
"  the  Chippeways  inhabiting  the  country  about  the  sources  of  tho 
Mississippi,  are  decidedly  the  most  favored  Besides  their  natural 
resources  of  fish,  wild  rice  and  maple  sugar,  with  the  addition  of 
abundance  of  game,  tho  climate  is  found  to  be  well  adapted  to  tho 


60 


culture  of  corn,  wheat,  barley,  oats  and  pulse.  The  potato  is  of 
a  superior  quality  to  that  of  the  Middle  States  of  the  Union." 

More  has  been  said  upon  the  temperature  and  climate  of  Min- 
nesota for  the  reason  that  whatever  character  its  possesses  in  this 
respect  has  an  important  bearing  upon  the  estimate  to  be  formed 
of  the  climate  of  that  portion  of  the  proposed  route  embraced  in 
the  valley  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  and  included  within  the  limits 
of  what  is  still  designated  as  the  Missouri  or  Northwest  Territory. 
This  region,  or  the  portion  of  it  through  which  the  proposed  route 
passes,  is  in  the  same  latitude  with  the  Haut  terres  of  Minnesota, 
lying  in  a  direction  from  them  nearly  due  west. 

Pursuing  this  line  to  the  Pacific  it  meets  the  coast  where  the 
mean  temperature  is  55®,  or  1 1  .^  higher  than  at  ' '  Haut  terres  of 
Minnesota,  an  amount  considerably  greater  than  id  due  to  any  dif- 
ference in  elevation  compared  with  the  sea  level;  from  300  to 
350  feet  of  elevation  causing  a  difference  in  the  mean  temperature 
of  one  degree 

With  no  local  causes  to  influence  the  temperature,  it  would  be 
very  proper  to  assume  a  gradual  amelioration  in  proceeding  west- 
ward from  the  Ilaut  terres,  particularly  after  leaving  the  Coteau 
du  Missouri.  Owing,  however,  to  the  gradual  increase  in  the 
elevation  of  the  country,  in  part,  and  in  part  to  the  nearer  ap- 
proach to  the  mountains,  an  average  of  41°  or  42°  for  the  region 
in  question,  corresponding  to  the  temperature  of  St.  Johns  in  New 
Brunswick,  Halifax,  N.  S.,  Eastport,  Maine,  or  Montreal,  C.  E., 
is  believed  to  be  a  very  fair  estimate. 

Lewis  and  Clark  who  wintered  at  the  Mandan  village,  do  not 
represent  the  weather  as  being  on  the  whole  severe,  although  at 
times  extremely  cold.  They  state  that  the  "  Eickarees  cultivate 
Indian  corn,  or  maize,  beans,  pumpkins,  water  melons,  squashes, 
and  a  species  of  tobacco  peculiar  to  themselves,"  productions  simi- 
lar to  those  raised  in  the  valleys  of  New  England.  '  On  the  22d 
October  a  party  of  Sioux  arrived  with  "  no  other  covering  but  a 
piece  of  cloth  or  skin  about  the  middle."  Cold  weather  set  in  the 
last  of  November,  and  on  the  7th  December  the  river  was  closed 


61 


by  ice.  During  tne  latter  part  of  December  tbe  weather  was 
moderate.  It  w^as  cold  again  from  the  3d  to  the  1 4th  of  January. 
After  that  moderate  and  pleasant  to  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  in 
the  river  on  the  2Gth  of  March.  On  the  first  of  April  was  a  heavy 
fall  of  rain,  noticed  as  the  first  of  any  consequence  which  had 
fallen  since  the  15th  of  October.  The  deer,  the  elk  and  the  buf- 
falo were  found  on  the  prairies  during  the  whole  winter.  On  the 
13th  of  February  fifty-nine  of  these  animals  were  killed,  their 
condition  of  course  not  as  good  as  in  a  more  favorable  season,  but 
the  iact  that  they  are  able  to  subsist  on  the  open  prairies,  is  indic- 
ative of  a  very  mild  climate  for  so  high  a  latitude. 

Gov.  Simpson  in  describing  the  productions  at  Fort  Carleton, 
on  the  Saskatshawan  river,  lat.  52*  51'  N.  600  miles  west  of  Red 
river,  and  1,100  feet  above  the  sea,  says,  that  "  the  country  in  the 
vicinity  produces  potatoes  and  other  vegetables.  Wheat  succeeds 
sometimes."  At  Edmundton,  lat.  54°  N.  on  the  same  river,  near 
to  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  north  of  the  lofty  peaks  of  Mounts 
JJrown  and  Hooker,  he  states,  that  "  potatoes,  turnips,  and  other 
htffdy  vegetables  are  grown,  but  the  wheat  is  destroyed  by  the 
early  frosts." 

He  informs  us  also,  that  the  buffalo  are  "  incredibly  numerous  " 
ill  that  region,  and  that  in  182'J  he  ^^  saw  ten  thousand  mired  in 
a  single  ford  of  the  Saskatshawan." 

This  region  is  over  four  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  the  route 
proposed  for  the  Pacific  Railroad,  a  difference  as  great  as  that 
between  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Quebec. 

At  Fort  Union,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  where  there 
is  a  post  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  the  productions  of  the 
soil  do  not  differ  much  from  those  at  the  Mandan  villages.  A 
gentleman  residing  in  Missouri,  relates  on  the  authority  of  one  of 
the  partners  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  that  "  the  Missouri 
at  that  place  freezes  over  about  the  first  of  December,  and  opens 
about  the  middle  of  March.  The  Upper  Miasouri  among  the 
Blackfeet,  being  sheltered  by  the  mountains,  opens  a  little  earlier^ 
and  the  winter  in  that  section  is  sometvhat  milder.     With  regard 


62 


m 


to  the  vegetables  it  depends  very  much  upon  the  character  of  tlie 
season,  whether  regular,  or  wet,  or  dry.  Success  depends  upon 
tliis.  Sometimes  they  have  two  months  without  rain,  and  then 
lono-  spells  of  rain.  The  Indians  cultivate  what  is  called  the  six 
weeks  or  Canadian  corn,  and  also  some  of  the  garden  vegetahlcs 

The  soil  varies,  some  of  it  is  excellent,  especially  in  the  valleys ; 
but  on  the  plains  tliere  is  less  soil.  The  grass  is  burned  over  twire 
a  year,  and  remains  green  under  the  snow,  and  the  cattle  are  not 
sheltered  or  fed,  l)Ut  dig  away  the  snow  and  the  cattle  feed  theni- 
selves.  The  winters  are  probably  about  the  same  as  in  North- 
ern New  York.  Were  the  Jires  kept  out  the  timber  would  grow 
as  on  our  Western  Prairies.''^ 

The  descriptions  above  given,  including  that  of  Lewis  and  Clark 
of  the  country  about  the  Upper  Missouri  do  not  differ  from  that  of 
(.'atlin,  who  spent  some  time  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone, 
and  at  the  Mandan  villages. 

The  character  of  the  vegctatioii  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  as 
described  by  Lewis  and  Clark  and  others,  is  evidence  of  its  suita- 
bleness for  agriculture.  Even  in  close  proximity  to  the  mountains, 
the  climate  is  milder  than  at  the  niouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  and 
tliore  is  nothing  in  the  quality  of  the  soil  to  prevent  its  being  an 
excellent  grazing  country.  On  the  plain,  above  the  Great  Falls,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Medicine  river,  where  the  soil  is  represented  as 
more  thin  and  gravelly,  the  grass  was  nine  inches  in  height,  and 
the  cactus  was  in  bloom  ;  berries  of  various  kinds  were  abundant 
and  the  b'vifalo  were  numerous.  • 

Following  up  the  main  river,  three  hundred  miles  from  the  Falls, 
the  grass  upon  the  river  bottoms  was  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  in 
height.  Gooseberries,  service  berries  and  several  varieties  of  cur- 
rr  :its  wore  abundant  all  along  the  river.  A  species  of  flax  was 
likewise  seen,  and  the  sunflower  also,  and  this  vegetable  was 
observed  to  flourish  at  least  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  nearer 
to  the  highest  and  snow-capped  portions  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
than  it  is  proposed  to  approach  them  by  the  Railroad. 

F.irther  to  the  north,  between  the  two  brnnehcs  of  the  Saskat- 


68 


i 


ehawan,  Father  De  Smct  8aya  that  the  country  adjacent  to  the 
mountains  is  "extremely  fertile,  abounding  in  forests,  plains, 
prairies,  lakes  and  streams.  Forests  of  pine,  cypress,  etc.,  occupy 
a  large  portion  of  it,  covering  the  declivities  of  the  mountains,  and 
branches  of  the  river." 

"  The  country  is  capable  of  supporting  a  large  population,  and 
the  soil  is  suitable  for  the  produce  of  barley,  corn,  potatoes  and 
beans,  which  grow  here  as  well  as  in  the  more  southern  countries. 
An  active  and  enterprising  population  are  destined  to  fill  this  spa- 
void,  and  flocks  and  herds  loill  graze  on  the  beautiful  meadovj*  and 
plains  of  this  extensive  region." 

The  extract  from  the  journal  of  Capt.  Lewis,  already  given,  con- 
firmed by  the  statements  of  Sergeant  Gass,  relating  to  the  Pass 
ftom  Clark's  river  to  the  Missouri,  when  carefully  examined,  must 
produce  conviction  of  its  entire  practicability  for  the  purposes  of  a 
railroad,  and  that  the  temperature  or  climate  cannot,  in  any  portion 
of  it,  be  much  more  severe  or  intolerable  than  is  experienced  dur- 
ing the  winter  season  on  some  of  the  mountain  passes  where  rail- 
ways are  now  uninterruptedly  conveying  passengers  and  freight  in 
the  northern  portions  of  New  Vork,  Vermont  and  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

On  entering  the  valley  of  Clark's  river,  we  find  a  region  where 
there  is  a  rich  vegetation.  It  was  here  that  wild  horses  were  seen 
by  Captain  Lewis,  and  they  were  represented  by  the  Indians  to 
be  numerous.  This  region  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  the 
*'  Horse  Plain,"  and  it  is  here  that  the  Mission  Station  of  St  Mary 
is  situated. 

All  accounts  agree  in  stating  that  this  valley  is  well  timbered. 
Bradford  represents  the  river  as  flowing  through  "  extensive  and 
fertile  valleys  and  level  plains." 

Mr.  Schoolcraft  in  a  recent  communication  to  the  public  respect- 
ing this  portion  of  the  Great  Yalley  of  the  Columbia,  describes  it 
under  the  new  name  of  "JG^/  Ilara"  as  well  timbered,  with  a  pro- 
ductive soil,  a  favorable  cUmate  and  capable  of  supporting  a  large 
Iiopulation. 


64 


\'i]}i 


This  also  is  the  character  given  of  it  in  Irving's  Astoria. 

Although  clcvfitcd  on  the  average  twenty-fivi  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  in  latitude  47°  to  48®  N  ,  it  has  not  a 
Very  rio-orous  climate.  A  series  of  observations  continued  through 
threo  years  at  Lapwai,  in  Middle  Oregon,  lat.  4G^  27'  N.,  long. 
118°  W.   gives  for  the  mean  annual  temperature  at  that  place 

Fort  Colville  is  in  the  same  valley  in  lat.  48*='  87'  N.  The  dis- 
tance and  difference  of  elevation  being  both  taken  into  account, 
will  make  the  mean  temperature  of  Fort  Colville  about  48*,  the 
same  as  Albany  or  Troy  in  New  York,  and  give  for  the  mean 
temperature  of  the  Clark's  river  valley  about  44®,  the  same  nearly 
as  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y.,  or  Dover,  N.  H. 

Com.  Wilkes,  states  that  Lake  Kalispel  is  thirty-six  miles  long 
and  eight  wide.  The  country  around  is  rich  and  beautiful,  covered 
above  and  below  with  pines  and  spruces,  with  occasional  spots  of 
rich  bottom  land.  At  the  forks  50  miles  above,  according  to 
Farnham,  is  a  post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  He  states 
that  "  a  rich  and  beautiful  country  spreads  off  from  Lake  Kalispel 
in  all  directions,"  and  that  the  "ridgcs^^  which  separate  the 
sources  of  the  Clark's  river  from  those  of  the  Missouri  and  Saskat- 
shawan,  "  are  said  to  be  easi/  to  j^ass.'''' 

The  Mission  Station  of  St.  Marj's,  already  spoken  of,  is  situated 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  Valley  of  Clark's  river,  on  the  main  south 
branch,  which  Father  De  Smct  calls  the  St.  Marys,  for  the  reason 
that  the  north  branch,  which  passes  through  Flathead  lake,  being 
the  longest,  is  properly  the  main  river.  This  latter,  he  says,  is  a 
beautiful  stream,  flowing  through  a  **  delightful  valley"  of  100  miles 
in  extent  north  of  Flathead  lake. 

The  soil  ni  St.  Marys  he  adds  "yields  abundant  crops  of  wheat 
oats  and  potatoes.  The  rich  prairie  is  capable  of  supporting  thou- 
sands of  cattle.  St.  Marys,  or  Bitterroot  Valley,  two  hundred 
miles  in  extent,  is  one  of  the  fmest  in  the  mountains.  In  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  soil  irrigation  is  necessary  in  ccnsequence  of  the  long 
summer  drought  that  prevails,  commencing  in  April  and  endnig 
only  in  October." 


feet 

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rough 

long. 


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■,'  4.;,...   .  :i',i,.. 


65 


«  This  difficulty,  however,  if  the  country  should  ever  be  thickly 
settled  can  be  easily  obviated  as  the  whole  region  is  well  supplied 
with  numerous  streams  and  rivulets.  These  remarks  apply  also 
to  the  valleys  contiguous  to  the  St.  Mary's.  The  streams  contain 
abundance  of  fish,  especially  trout."  - 

The  Mission  Statiou  of  St  Ignatius  is  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  Clark's  river,  thirty  to  forty  miles  from  its  mouth,  just 
above  the  portion  which  is  "  obstructed  by  insurmountable  Falls 
and  Rapids."  It  stands  on  a  "  beautiful  prairie  of  three  miles  in 
extent,  surrounded  by  cedar  and  pine."  .    , 

Between  Clark's  river  and  the  Spokane,  and  leading  towards 
Colville,  is  a  "  beautiful  valley,  agreeably  diversified  by  plains  and 
forests."  The  upper  portion  of  the  Spokane  valley  is  of  a  similar 
character,  the  trees  attaining  an  immense  size,  but  lower  down  it 
is  denuded  of  timber,  a  character  which  appertains  to  the  high 
plains  of  the  Columbia,  which  spread  off  south  towards  the  Lewis 
river. 

The  air  of  this  whole  region  is  pure  and  bracing,  and  the  climate 
excellent.  In  all  the  upper  portions  of  the  Columbia  valley  it  has 
the  same  character.  The  soil  is  good,  though  in  some  places 
light,  and  "  the  declivities  of  the  mountains  are  studded  with  inex- 
haustible forests,  in  which  the  larch  tree,  pine  of  different  species, 
cedar  and  cypress  abound." 

Joseph  Dunn  who  was  some  time  in  the  service  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  states  that  "  the  country  of  the  Flatheads  presents 
a  pleasing  diversity  of  woods  and  plains,  valleys  and  mountains, 
lakes  and  rivers,  and  is  well  stocked  with  deer,  mountain  sheep, 
beavers,  otters,  martins,  wolves,  lynxes,  etc ,  wild  fowl  and  fish, 
besides  esculent  roots,  so  that  they  have  abundant  means  of  sub- 
sistence and  clothing,  and  of  traffic  as  well." 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  as  far  west  as  the  Colum- 
bia, the  country  is  now  possessed  mainly  by  three  very  numerous 
and  powerful  tribes  of  Indians,  the  Crows,  the  Blackfeet,  and  the 
Flatheads,  as  they  are  commonly  called,  although  not  entitled  to 
that  name  from  any  custom  thev  have  of  flattening  the  head  which 


H 


66 


r 


is  only  practiced  by  some  tribes  nearer  the  Pacific.  The  Crows 
occupy  the  country  drained  b>  the  Yellow  Stone  and  its  tributa- 
ries. The  Blackfeot,  that  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  extending  across 
to  the  Saskatshawan,  and  the  Flatheads  the  valley  of  Clark's  river, 
and  country  adjacent  to  the  north  and  south. 

These  tribes  may  properly  be  considered  as  among  the  first,  if 
not  the  very  first,  of  the  tribes  of  North  America.  Their  poi-sons 
are  finely  formed,  they  possess  great  intelligence  and  practice 
many  of  the  virtues  of  civilized  life.  They  live  in  a  country  and 
a  climate  which  they  consider  dehghtful,  v/here  game  of  all  kinds 
abounds,  and  where  the  greatest  ills  they  suffer  are  those  conse- 
quent iTpon  their  inter-tribal  feuds,  and  contact  with  the  Whites; 
or  rather  with  that  portion  of  the  Whites  who  with  more  than 
savage  appetites  for  what  is  vicious  and  base,  flee  the  limits  of 
civilization,  and  inflict  by  their  example  and  otherwise,  upon  the 
untutored  Indians,  an  amount  of  evil  the  magnitude  of  which 
cannot  easily  be  computed. 

The  fact  that  the  tribes  named  possess  the  character  above 
desci-ibed  is  evidence  of  the  favorable  soil  and  climate  and  great 
productiveness,  of  the  region  of  country  which  they  inhabit,  and  of 
its  capabihtics  for  the  development  of  animal  life,  and  for  sustain- 
ing a  large  population. 

At  Fort  Colville,  as  stated  by  Wilkes,  "wheat  is  the  grain  most 
cultivated,  being  considered  more  profitable  than  oats,  barley  or 
rye.     Indian  corn  (Zea  mays)  succeeds  here  admirably." 

Gov.  Simpson  who  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains,  as  already 
stated,  some  distance  north  of  the  national  boundary,  describes 
the  country  along  the  Kotoonais,  and  across  to  the  Kalispel  lake, 
as  densely  wooded,  the  forests  in  many  places  intricate  and  diffi- 
cult to  penetrate.  On  the  Grand  quHe  branch  of  the  Kotoonais 
he  sav  "sixteen  sorts  of  pine"  and  "twelve  different  kinds  of 
berries."  Soon  after  passing  the  main  summit,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  mountains,  ho  saw  "  recent  marks  of  the  bvjfalo,  antelope, 
Bhccp,  moose,  and  red  deer." 

From  the  Kotoonais  river  ho  passed  across  to  Clark's  river  rnl- 


i 


ley,  which  ho  describes  b^  "  well  covered  with  excellent  timber, 
bounded  on  either  side  by  a  lio©  of  lofty  hills,  soil  rich,  and  stream 
navigable,  except  at  one  cascade  where  a  portage  was  necessary." 

He  informs  us  that  the  wheat  grown  at  Fort  Colville  "  weighs 
63  to  65  lbs.  per  bushel.  Maize  flourishes  but  does  not  ripen 
until  September.  Peas,  potatoes,  oats,  barley,  melons,  cucumbers, 
etc.,  are  plentiful.  The  wintw  is  many  degrees  milder  than  in  the 
same  parallel  «n  tlie  eastern  side  of  the  mountains."  "  Amongst 
the  wild  flowers  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Fort  are  the  helian- 
thus,  lupin,  monks  hood,  and  the  fuschia,  in  great  abundance." 
This  latter  particularly  deootoe  a  naild  climate,  and  for  ground 
elevated  over  2,000  feet  above  the  sea  and  near  to  the  latitude  of 
49°  N.  shows  a  great  difference  in  the  temperature  between  the 
eastern  and  western  sides  of  the  continent.  From  the  crops  raised 
in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Colville  most  of  the  posts  of  the  Hudson^a 
Bay  Company  at  the  north  get  their  supplies. 

At  the  Chaudiere  Falls  salmon  are  taken  in  great  numbere,  ^ 
they  are  in  all  parts  of  the  Columbia  below.  They  ascend  quite 
to  the  head  of  the  main  river,  and  will  form  a  very  important 
source  of  wealth  to  the  country.  This  remark  also  applies  to  the 
waters  connected  with  the  straits  of  De  Fuca,  which  are  very  richly 
stored  with  fish  of  all  kinds. 

From  Fort  Colville  to  Okanagan  in  the  valley  of  the  Columbia, 
the  climate  and  temperature  does  not  vary  much  from  that  of  Fort 
Colville,  the  causes  which  have  influence  on  both  being  nearly  the 
same ;  but  between  Fort  Okanagan  and  the  Pacitic  are  the  Cascade 
Mountains,  a  serrated  Range  about  5,000  feet  high  with  three  or 
f(mr  con'^al  peaks  in  the  territory  of  Washington,  rising  to  more 
than  double  that  height.  These  latter  only  are  covered  with  per- 
petual snow,  the  remainder  of  the  Range  is  clothed  with  a  dense 
fort'st  to  it«  surrunit.  There  are,  doubtless,  some  twenty  miles  per- 
haps of  the  e.stiinitod  entire  distance  of  130  miles,  where  the  tem- 
perature is  too  ///^  »rjd  ttut  unows  lie  too  long  to  render  it  availu' 
ble  for  other  than  grazing  or  pastoral  purposes.  This  Range 
although  having,  undoubtedly,  a  milder  temperature  than  is  found 


m 


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a 


■  HI 


68 


"ttiir 


in  the  Rocky  Mountains  at  the  same  elevation,  and  in  the  same 
latitude,  yet  from  its  exposed  position  is  subject  to  snows  of 
greater  depth  and  to  frequent  and  greater  changes  of  temperature. 
The  mean  annual  temperature  of  48°  F.  which  is  found  in  the 
valley  of  the  Cohimbia  at  an  elevation  of  2,000  feet  above  the  sea 
undoubtedly  prevails  in  the  same  latitude  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Cascade  rano-e  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  3,000  feet,  and  from  that 
limit  to  the  shore  of  the  ocean  goes  on  increasing  until  it  reaches 
53°  or  55°  as  ascertained  approximately  by  Com.  Wilkes. 

In  the  region  between  the  Cascade  Mountains  and  the  Pacific, 
a  temperature  prevails  which  is  even  milder  than  in  the  same 
latitude  on  the  western  coast  of  Europe.  Paris,  which  is  situated 
in  latitude  48^  50'  N.  has  a  mean  annual  temperature  of  only 
51  6-10°  F.  or  four  or  five  degrees  less  than  is  found  in  the  same 
latitude  in  the  waters  of  the  straits  of  De  Fuca.  Proceeding 
northward  along  the  Pacific  coast  the  same  relatively  mild  climate 
continues.  Wheat,  barley,  potatoes,  and  turnips  are  all  grown  at 
Fort  Alexandria,  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north  of  the  national 
boundary. 

In  Irving's  Astoria  the  mildness  and  equability  of  the  climate 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  the  valley  of  the  Columbia  is 
noticed  as  remarkable.  "  The  rigorous  winters  and  sultry  sum- 
mers and  all  the  capricious  inequalities  of  temperature  prevalent 
on  the  Atlantic  pide  of  the  mountains  are  but  little  felt  on  their 
western  cloclivities."  The  weather  for  most  of  the  year  is  "  serene 
and  delightful." 

Of  the  country  between  the  Cascade  Mountains  and  the  Pacific, 
n  gentleman,  Mr.  Hall,  thus  speaks  after  a  five  years  residence  at 
Puget  Sound.  "  Having  truvellod  through  every  State  in  tho 
Union,  I  can  safely  aver  that  I  have  never  found  a  place  to  equal 
that  delightful  country  for  healthfulness,  beauty  of  scenery,  and 
unvarying  temperature."  Ho  represents  tho  land  in  general  as 
well  ndapted  for  cultivation  and  pasturage.  Potatoes  oi  a  dry 
and  'jxcoUont  quality,  onions,  cabbages,  turnips,  carrots,  parsnips, 
v'heat  and  oacs,  all  produce  abundantly.    "  Tho  pasturage  gener- 


ally  is  good  throughout  the  year,  and  no  fanner  thinks  of  providing 
fodder  for  his  stock  during  the  winter.  The  winters  are  very  mild, 
and  snow  is  rarely  more  than  an  inch  deep,"  He  also  states  that 
"  the  timber,  of  which  there  is  a  great  abundance,  particularly 
cedar  and  fir,  is  of  the  largest  and  finest  quality.  In  short  the 
purity  of  the  air,  the  luxuriant  prairies,  the  forests  of  noble  tall 
trees  on  every  side,  the  never  failing  springs  of  purest  water,  the 
innumerable  lakes,  an  almost  profuse  abundance  of  game  and  fish, 
all  conspire  to  render  it  one  of  the  most  delightful  countries  of  the 
world." 

The  soil  near  the  sea  coast  is  described  in  Irving's  Astoria  as 
inferior  in  character  generally,  compared  with  that  of  the  interior, 
and  in  consequence,  the  vegetation  of  the  latter  is  more  abundant 
"  The  face  of  the  country  is  kept  fresh  and  verdant  by  nightly 
dews  and  occasionally  by  the  humid  fogs  in  the  morning,  the  lat- 
ter not  prejudicial  to  health." 

Com.  Wilkes,  Gov.  Simpson,  and  other  writers  concur  in  giving 
to  the  region  in  question  a  remarkably  favorable  character  in 
respect  to  soil  and  climate.  Near  the  coast  the  soil  is  not  so  pro- 
ductive, but  in  the  interior  where  the  surface  is  free  from  rock,  it 
is  of  an  excellent  quality  in  most  places.  The  latter  remarks,  par- 
ticularly of  the  country  lying  to  the  north  of  the  national  boundary 
on  the  sea-coast,  that  the  region  in  which  is  included  the  southern 
part  of  Vancouvers  Island  "  is  well  adapted  for  colonization,  for 
in  addition  to  a  tolerable  soil  and  a  moderate  climate,  it  possesses 
excellent  harbors  and  abundance  of  timber.  It  will,  doubtless, 
become  in  time  the  most  valuable  section  of  the  whole  coast  above 
California." 

South  of  Puget  Sound  for  sixty  miles  he  describes  the  country 
as  "  watered  by  many  streams  and  lakes,"  and  composed  of  belts 
of  wood  and  plains  well  adapted  to  tillage  and  pasturage.  The 
belts  01  wood  composed  of  stately  cedars  and  pines,  many  rising 
without  a  branch  or  bend  to  a  height  of  150  foet." 

The  extraordinary  magnitude  attained  by  the  forest  trees  in  that 
part  of  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  has  been  remarked  by  all  who  havo 


i^ 


to 

visited  that  region.  This  rertiorkaWd  growth  does  not  appear  to 
bo  confined  altogether  to  the  country  along  the  coast.        ?  ' 

Mr.  Douglass,  a  distinguished  botanist,  while  passing  up  the 
valley  of  the  Columbia  to  Fort  Colville,  saw  many  kinds  of  pines, 
acme  of  which,  by  measurement,  were  thirty  feet  in  circumference, 
and  "  several  which  had  been  levelled  to  the  ground  by  the  storms 
were  145  feet  long,  with  wood  perfectly  clear  and  strong." 

Of  the  excellence  of  the  climate,  and  general  good  character  of 
the  soil  of  this  portion  of  the  country,  no  more  will  at  present  be 
said.  Both  are  beyond  question  well  adapted  for  the  successful 
development  of  both  vegetable  and  animal  life. 


"<f.i  '.ffV'; 


■■  jv- 


MINERALS. 


■  ('      ■-    -r 


«  •  »  t-  «- 


Of  the  mineral  resources  of  tho  country  tlirougb,  or  near  whicb> 
the  proposed  northern  railroad  route  to  the  Pacific  passes,  enough 
is  known  from  such  partial  and  imperfect  explorations  as  have 
been  made  to  make  it  certain  that  they  are  quite  valuable  and 
extensive. 

The  route  after  leaving  Illinois  passes  along  the  eastern  and 
northeastern  margin  of  the  great  lead  district  of  south-western 
Wisconsin,  with  which  a  connection  is  in  progress  by  means  of  the 
southern  Wisconsin  Railroad  from  Janesville,  a  district  which 
now  sends  annually  to  market  forty  to  fifty  millions  of  pounds 
of  metal. 

On  the  Upper  Mississippi  it  passes  near  to  the  western  extremity 
of  tho  great  copper  region  of  Ijake  Superior,  with  which  it  will  bo 
ft  convenient  mode  of  communication,  by  branches  leading  north- 
wardly up  the  vallies  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi,  which 
have  their  sources  in  the  region  in  question.  From  discoveries 
recently  made  it  is  probable  that  silver  will  also  become  one  of 
the  valuable  productions  of  this  region,  and  it  is  now  known  that 
in  middle  and  northern  Wisconsin  there  are  ores  of  iron  in  various 
localities,  some  of  which  are  now  woi'ked,  producing  metal  of  an 
excellent  quality. 

Farther  on,  in  north-western  Minnesota,  extending  into  Canada, 
aalt  lakes  and  springs  arc  known  to  abound.    These  lie  to  the  west 

71 


72 


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m 


of  what  is  called  Devil's  Lake  on  the  map,  the  waters  of  which  aro 
slightly  brackish.  This  salt  region  lies  a  little  to  the  north  of  the 
line  of  the  proposed  Koad,  and  covers  a  space  not  less  probably 
than  5,000  square  miles  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  and 
jridging  from  the  account  of  Gov.  Simpson  covers  even  more  space 
north  of  the  national  boundary.  South  of  this  hno  within  our 
own  borders  there  are  places  where  the  mineral  is  said  to  be  found 
in  great  purity.  From  the  remarks  which  follow  it  will  bo  seen 
that  there  is  probably  in  close  proximity  to  this  region,  a  supply 
of  bituminous  coal. 

Should  this  opinion  prove  correct,  salt  will  in  time  be  manufac- 
tured here,  in  great  amount,  and  become  an  important  article  of 
commerce.  From  this  source,  owing  to  the  probable  cheapness  of 
its  manufacture  and  facilities  of  communication,  most  of  the  popu- 
lation of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  valleys,  as  far  down  as  the 
mouth  of  the  latter,  and  of  the  Upper  St.  Lawrence  valley,  as  far 
as  Lake  Erie,  will  most  probably  in  time  receive  their  supply  of 
salt.  The  district  which  embraces  the  salt  lakes  and  springs  is 
elevated  about  2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  the  atmos- 
phere is  in  general  very  pure  and  dry ;  circumstances  favorable  to 
the  cheap  manufacture  of  salt  whether  produced  by  evaporation  in 
the  open  air,  or  by  the  artificial  means  in  use  at  most  of  the  salt 
works  in  the  country. 

Within  the  limits  of  Minnesota  to  the  south  of  the  proposed 
route,  are  the  famed  red  pipe  stone  quarries,  which  promise  to  bo 
of  considerable  value  in  the  arts.  The  locality  of  this  stone  near- 
est to  the  route  is  in  Wisconsin  at  the  head  of  a  branch  of  Chip- 
pewa river  which  joins  the  Mississippi  near  the  lower  end  of  Lake 
Pepin. 

Between  Fort  Clark  or  Fort  Mandan  and  the  Falls  of  the  Mis- 
souri, mineral  coal  of  the  bituminous  character  has  been  observed 
in  various  places  where  it  appears  in  the  banks  of  the  Missouri 
river.  Lewis  and  Clark  testify  to  this  and  their  evidence  is  con- 
firmed by  Culbertson.  Wyeth  informs  us  that  the  banks  of  the 
Yellow  Stone  below  the  Bighorn,  "  are  in  many  places  precipitous 


73 


with  strata  of  bituminous  coal,"  and  Capt.  Bonneville  montione  a 
mountain  on  the  Powder  river  branch  of  the  Yellow  Stone  as 
"abounding  in  anthracite  (?)  coal."  The  existence  of  coal  near  the 
surface,  and  directly  on  the  proposed  route,  extending  through  ten 
degrees  oflongitvde  is  a  consideration  of  great  importance. 

This  immense  coal  field  in  all  probability  underlies  the  entire 
plain  which  stretches  northwardly  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Sas- 
katshawan  and  Assiniboin  rivers,  including  the  region  occupied 
by  the  salt  lakes  and  springs  above  described. 

Gov.  Simpson  speaks  of  coal  as  appearing  in  the  banks  of  the 
Saskatshawan  river  at  Fort  Edmondton,  a  point  very  near  the 
eastern  base  of  the  Bocky  Mountains. 

Father  De  Smet  saw  coal  on  the  banks  of  Red  Peer  River.  He 
also  saw  "  fountains  which  produce  sulphur,"  and  saltpetre  he 
states  "  is  found  in  abundance,  and  iron  is  not  scarce  in  many 
parts  of  the  mountains." 

Lewis  and  Clark  observed  limestone  at  several  points  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Upper  Missouri.  It  extends  in  places  far  into  the  Passes 
of  the  mountains.  They  obser-cd  it  on  the  upper  part  of  Jef- 
ferson river.  They  also  sa^v  andstone,  on  the  Missouri,  and 
granite  was  ■  lot  within  the  m  mtains.  Materials  of  this  char- 
acter appear  therefore  to  be  abuii  lant  for  construction,  and  being 
situated  near  tlie  river,  which  is  navigable  for  so  many  hundreds 
of  miles,  can  be  transported  along  the  valley  ut  no  very  great  cost. 

The  existence  of  limestone  ai  large  quantities,  and  spread  over  a 
great  extent  of  surface,  is  eviii  nee  of  the  probabiliiy  that  local- 
ities may  hereafter  be  found,  producing  marble  of  a  quality  suited 
to  various  purposes  in  the  arts. 

Bobt  Stewart,  who  passed  in  1812  from  the  Tetons  easterly 
along  the  mountains  which  separate  the  waters  of  the  Upper  Mis- 
souri from  those  of  the  Columbia  aud  Colorado,  describes  a  species 
of  clay  found  in  the  mountains,  "  from  which  the  Indians  make 
pots,  jars,  &c.  It  is  very  fine  and  light,  of  a  brown  color  spotted 
with  yellow ;  vessels  manufactured  of  it  are  said  to  impart  a 
pleasant  smell  and  flavor  to  any  liquids."    He  states  that  "  these 


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mountains  abound  also  in  mineral  earths  or  chalks  of  vorioua 
Golom,  espeei^y  two  kinds  of  ochre,  one  a  pale  the  other  a  brighi 
red,  like  vermilion,  muchi  used  by  the  Indians  in  paintings  their 
bodies." 

Of  the  region  embraced  between  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri  and 
tho  vrestern  slope  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  but  little  is  as  yet 
known  as  to  its  mineralogical  character. 

That  it  does  contain  minerals  of  value  is  to  bo  infered  from 
information  deiived  from  various  sources,  and  from  the  change  in 
the  geological  formation  of  the  country  already  alluded  to  as  tak- 
ing  place  at  tho  48th  parallel  of  latitude. 

Thornton  informs  us  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Whitman^  the  Mis- 
sionary who  was  murdered  by  the  Indians  at  Wallawalla;  that  tho 
latter  "  frequently  brought  copper  from  a  place  north  of  his  sta- 
tion," and  that  judging  from  the  information  which  he  obtained 
"  its  locality  was  somewhere  south  of  tho  49th  parallel."  He  also 
states  that  "  Mr.  Ricard,  the  late  Attorney  General  of  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands,  brought  to  Oregon  p,  BpecinriCn  of  platina  obtained 
from  a  Flatlioad  Indian,  which  metal  the  savage  affirmed  was  very 
abundant  at  ono  locality  in  the  country  of  his  nation,  but  he 
refused  to  indicate  more  particularly."  *'   >  ?.   <, 

A  Mr.  Lattee  who  was,  during  many  years,  in  the  service  of  the 

Hudson *s  Bay  Company,  informed  Mr.  Thornton  that  "tho  Indians 

often  brought  platina  and  silver  ore  to  the  trading  post  from  the 

northern  extremity  of  Queen  Charlotte's  sound  "  in  lat.  54^  N., 

which  seems  to  confirm  the  truth  of  the  previous  statement  of  the 

tixistenco  of  those  metals  in  tho  vicinity  of  the  latitude  of  49. 

Father  Do  Smet  saw  "  largo  pieces  of  coal  along  the  Kootanie 

river,  and  was  convinced  that  it  could  be  abundantly  procured." 

He  found  also  "  great  quantities  of  lead  on  the  surface  of  tho  earth,** 

and  from  its  appearance  he  believed  that  "  it  contained  a  mixture 
of  silver."  ''     '"   =;•':'-■■•  .•■■■^^'*"-.     ■-  .'i  j>...,^i.^»y:..  v^ 

Sir  John  Richardson,  in  speaking  of  the  probable  mineral  re» 
sources  of  tho  region  embraced  in  tho  British  possessions  to  the 
north  of  the  latitude  of  4Q°  states,  that "  it  would  bo  true  economy 


75 


foi*  tho  imporiul  government,  or  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  who 
a'  0  tho  virtual  sovercigna  of  the  territory,  to  ascertain  without 
delay  tho  mineral  ti'easures  which  it  contains.  I  have  little  doubt," 
ho  says,  "  of  many  of  the  accessible  districts  abounding  in  metallic 
wealth  of  far  greater  value  than  all  the  retoras  which  the  fur 
trade  can  ever  yield." 

Mr.  Dunn  states  that  near  the  Pacific  towards  the  latitude  of 
54"  N.  "  groat  quantities  of  virgin  copper  are  found,  some  of  it  is 
worked  by  the  natives  into  a  kind  of  shield  about  two  feet  and  a 
half  long,  and  one  foot  broad." 

West  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  bituminous  coal  is  now  known 
to  exist  in  large  quantities  in  the  vicinity  of  the  waters  of  tho 
straits  of  De  Fuca.  According  to  Thornton  an  "  inexhaustible 
supply  of  a  good  quality  may  be  had  upon  Vancouver's  Island. 
It  lies  near  the  sui-face,  is  gotten  out  with  crow  bars  and  is  near 
to  a  good  anchorage."  Dunn  describes  it  to  be  of  an  "  excellent 
quality,  running  in  extensive  fields,  and  even  in  clumpy  mounds, 
and  most  easily  worked  all  along  that  part  of  the  country." 

Coal  has  since  been  discovered  in  the  vicinity  of  Puget  Sound, 
and  to  the  east  of  Admiralty  Inlet,  and  a  company  has  been  formed  < 
for  mining  it  within  the  territory  of  Washington. 

The  "  Oregonian  "  represents  it  as  abounding  in  a  range  of 
hills,  and  that  it  appears  in  several  places  in  the  banks  of  the 
Inlets,  "  within  a  few  yards  of  deep  water,  making  the  shipping  of 
it  quite  easy." 

This  appears  to  be  the  southern  limit,  or  very  near  it,  of  tho 
bituminous  coal  on  tho  coast  within  our  own  territories,  none  hav- 
ing as  yet  been  discovered  south  of  that  point.  Of  its  value  in 
view  of  the  immense  steam  marine  which  in  a  few  years  will  bo 
traversing  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  from  the  straits  of  Do  Fuca, 
an  adequate  idea  can  now  scarcely  bo  formed.  Its  existence  there 
to  tho  extent  now  indicated  will  be  of  greater  importance  to  tho 
future  prosperity  of  the  territory  in  which  it  is  situated,  than  mines 
of  gold  and  silver;  and  if  to  this  be  added  the  wonderful  resources 


I 


76 


of  the  country  in  its  forests  of  timber,  and  general  character  of  the 
soil,  it  gives  to  the  territory  of  Washington  the  means  of  creating 
and  maintaining  a  commercial  and  military  marine,  not  possessed 
by  any  other  section  of  equal  extent  within  our  own  limits  on  the 
coast  of  the  Pacific. 


r. 


.}  , 


i   ',',;:    ■■.'. 


\;/!.'.    -.,•. 


-■'i  yu  i-;. 

-■-< 

f */f   i - '  > 

.,1  i 

■J 

>>- 

-  }i ' 

OBSTRUCTIONS  FROM  SNOWS. 


Objections  have  so  frequently  been  raised  to  a  route  for  a  Rail- 
road to  the  Pacific,  lying  so  far  to  the  north  as  the  one  proposed, 
in  consequence  of  apprehended  greater  obstructions  from  snows 
in  winter,  as  to  make  it  proper  to  devote  some  space  to  the  subject. 

In  passing  from  the  eqv-torial  to  the  polar  regions  the  rain  and 
snow  which  falls  annually  is  found  to  decrease  in  quantity,  and  a 
similar  result  follows  in  respect  to  places  in  the  same  latitude,  in 
passing  from  the  seacoast  to  the  interior.  The  density  or  rarity 
also  of  the  atmosphere  and  its  temperature  have  both  much  to  do 
with  its  capacity  for  retaining  moisture. 

In  ascending  from  the  level  of  the  ocean,  a  reduction  of  tem- 
perature usually  accompanies  the  decrease  in  density,  and  both 
are  unfavorable  to  the  retention  of  moisture,  and  hence,  where 
there  is  a  very  wide  extent  of  elevated  country,  the  rains  are  often 
precipitated  soon  after  entering  the  elevated  region,  and  the  winds 
pass  on  over  the  remaining  portion  of  the  surface,  incapable  of  con- 
tributing the  rains  which  are  needful  for  vegetation. 

These  causes  cortspire  to  produce  a  great  diminution  in  the  fall 
of  rain  and  snow  in  the  interior  of  continents,  compared  with  the 
quantity  which  falls  in  the  regions  near  the  sea  coast,  or  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  larger  lakes. 

In  very  wide  continents,  this  diminution  is  so  great- as  to  give  to 
the  interior  oftea  the  character  of  a  Desert. 

77 


78 


Under  the  equator  the  annual  fall  of  rain  amounts  to  an  uniform 
depth  on  the  surface,  as  computed  by  Humboldt,  for  the  mean  of 
both  continents  of  96  inches. 

In  lat.  19° 80  inches. 

«    "    45° 29    ' 

"    "    69*='        -        •.       -        -        -         17    " 

The  above  is  the  estimated  average  for  the  latitudes  named, 
varying  of  course  in  particular  places  from  local  causes  and  in- 
cludes both  rain  and  snow. 

The  portion  of  the  proposed  route  extending  from  the  Haut 
Terres  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pacific,  being  the  part  vhich  will 
probably  be  considered  the  most  exposed  to  be  obstructed  by 
snows  in  winter,  is  situated  in  latitude  48®  N.  nearly,  where  the 
average  annual  fall  of  rain  and  snow  by  the  above  would  be  about 
thirty  inches,  adding  four  inches  for  the  greater  amount  which  falls 
on  the  continent  of  America  compared  with  Europe,  as  ascer- 
tained by  numerous  observations ;  a  quantity  which  if  uninfluenced 
by  other  considerations  than  that  of  the  latitude  would  give  about 
six  inches  in  depth  derived  from  the  snow  alone,  that  being  the 
proportion  as  ascertained  by  observations  in  the  latitude  of  Ver- 
mont. It  has  also  been  ascertained  that  about  twelve  inches  of 
newly  fallen  dry  snow  gives  about  one  inch  in  depth  of  water. 
This  makes  about  six  feet  of  snow  for  th«  entire  fall  through  the 
winter ;  a  quantity  which  if  not  dissipated  by  the  occasional  thaws 
and  rains  will  give,  when  compacted  by  lying  a  long  time  on  the 
surface,  a  depth  of  not  more  than  two  or  throe  feet. 

The  actual  fall  of  rain  and  snow  throughout  the  region,  is  not 
correctly  known  from  observation  and  can  only  be  obtained  approx- 
imately from  such  evidence  as  is  within  reach.       '■   •    '^    :  t  Mi   ^ 

At  Fort  Brady,  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  outlet  of  Lake  Superior,  lat 
46^®  N.,  the  menn  for  six  years,  of  rain  and  snow  is  29.58  inches. 
At  Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the  Mississippi,  lat.  43°  N.,  it  is  30  inches. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Peter's  it  is  a  little  less  than  this,  while  at 
Green  Bay  on  Lake  Michigan,  it  is  35  inches,  owing  to  its  position 
on  the  lake. 


79 


Observations  made  in  Minnesota,  show  that  tho  prevailing  winds 
in  winter,  are  from  the  north  and  west,  occasionally  from  the  south, 
but  very  rarely  from  the  east.  This  is  doubtless  true  of  tho  coun- 
try west  to  the  mountains. 

The  northerly  winds  at  that  season  bring  no  moisture,  the  entire 
surface  to,  and  including  the  Arctic  sea,  being  fast  bound  in  ice. 

Those  from  the  west  and  south-west,  which  are  frequent  in 
winter  west  of  the  mountains,  bring  with  them  from  the  Pacific  a 
largo  amount  of  moisture,  but  meetin,^  near  the  coast  the  snow- 
capped summits  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  the  moisture  is  con- 
densed rapidly,  and  falls  the  most  of  it  in  rain  on  their  western 
elopes.  Hence  tho  winter  in  Oregon  and  Washington,  ae  in  Cali- 
fornia, is  the  rainy  season,  in  which  but  very  little  snow  falls  in  the 
region  adjoining  the  coast,  even  as  far  north  as  the  latitude  of  50". 

Whatever  moisture  is  not  condensed  in  passing  the  Cascade 
Kangc  is  probably  mostly  precipitated  on  the  higher  points  of  tho 
Kooskootskie  or  Salmon  river  mountains,  so  that  to  the  east  of 
them  in  the  vicinity  of  the  llocky  Mountains,  on  the  route  of  tho 
proposed  Railroad,  and  especially  upon  the  plains  of  the  Tipper 
Missouri,  it  is  fair  to  conclude  that  but  little  snow  or  rain  falls  in 
winter  which  can  properly  be  considered  as  the  result  of  the  eva- 
poration on  the  Pacific. 

When  the  winds  are  southerly,  as  they  are  at  times  in  the  win- 
ter in  tho  region  in  question,  as  elsewhere,  the  humidity  with  which 
they  may  be  charged,  if  not  condensed  on  the  high  plains  of  the 
Great  Basin,  the  Colorado,  the  Del  Norte,  and  Upper  Arkansap, 
within  the  of  limits  which  are  many  mountain  ranges  of  great  eleva- 
tion, arc  very  completely  deprived  of  their  moisture,  by  tho  cordon 
of  mountains  stretching  from  the  Cascade  range  of  Southern  Ore- 
gon to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Missouri,  including  the  Blue  moun- 
tains, the  Green  river  mountains,  the  high  summits  of  the  Wind 
river  chain  and  the  Black  mountains.  North  of  these,  upon  tho 
route  of  tho  proposed  Railroad,  the  quantity  of  snow  or  rain  de- 
posited in  winter  by  the  southerly  winds  must  be  very  limited. 

Farther  to  the  east,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  great  lakes  which  are 


80 


lis 


never  completely  frozen  over,  about  the  Haut  Terres  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, in  northern  and  eastern  Wisconsin,  both  snow  and  rain 
would  reasonably  be  expected  to  fall  in  larger  quantities  in  winter 
than  in  places  farther  west,  and  this  appears  to  be  the  case  from 
the  information  obtained. 

Such  is  the  theory  of  the  snows  and  rains  in  winter,  throughout 
the  entire  region  in  question,  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Pacific,  based 
upon  the  natural  laws  which  govern  the  distribution  of  moisture 
over  the  earth's  surface.  In  regard  to  the  facts,  it  is  known  that 
in  Northern  Illinois  but  very  little  snow  falls  in  winter. 

In  Wisconsin  for  the  entire  portion  south  of  Green  Bay,  the 
snow  seldom  exceeds  a  foot  in  depth,  and  more  than  eight  inches 
will  not  bo  found  on  the  average  at  any  one  time.  In  the  vicinity 
of  Lake  Michigan,  it  sometimes  has  a  greater  depth,  but  is  seldom 
HO  deep  as  to  render  it  necessary  to  resort  to  the  usual  means 
employed  at  the  east  for  removing  it  from  the  Railroads. 

In  the  higher  and  wooded  portion  of  northern  Wisconsm,  snow 
sometimes  accumulates  to  a  depth  of  three  feet  and  upwards.  In 
the  upper  peninsula  of  Michigan  it  attains  at  times  a  greater  depth. 

In  Minnesota,  about  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  its  depth  is 
somewhat  less  than  in  northern  Wisconsin. 

Seymour  in  his  "Sketches  of  Minnesota,"  states  that  the  snow 
in  the  pineries  of  the  Mississippi  the  previous  winter,  (1849-50) 
was  from  "one  to  two  feet  deep,  and  free  from  crust.  In  milder 
winters  a  crust  is  sometimes  formed."  He  also  states  that  Dr. 
Williamson  who  has  resided  in  that  country  fifteen  years  at  the 
Winnebago  Agency,  above  the  latitude  of  46°  N.  informed  him 
that  "the  snow  was  deeper  the  last  year  than  any  winter  since  he 
had  resided  there.  It  was  however,  only  2^  feet  deep."  This  is 
very  much  less  than  near  the  Atlantic  coast  in  the  same  latitude. 
In  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  N.  Y.  in  a  more  southern  latitude 
and  at  a  much  lower  elevation  it  has  been  known  to  be  twice  that 
depth.  At  Burlington,  Vt.,  two  degrees  fartner  south  and  34b  ft. 
only  above  the  sea,  the  average  fall  of  snow  for  ten  years  past 


IS 


IS 


/■ 


41 


81 


according  to  Prof.  Thompson  has  been  85  inches,  the  maximum 
ir-3  and  the  minimum  48  inches. 

In  the  narrow  mountain  passes  of  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire, 
which  are  now  penetrated  by  railroads  on  which  the  trains  run 
uninterruptedly  at  all  seasons,  the  snow  falls  in  greater  amount 
and  accumulates  to  a  greater  depth  than  at  Burlington. 

The  Upper  Mississippi,  unlike  the  rivers  which  have  their 
sources  on  either  side  of  the  Alleghanies,  has  no  winter  or  spring 
floods,  none  which  can  be  attributed  mainly  to  the  melting  of 
snows  which  have  accumulated  on  the  high  grounds  from  whence 
it  originates. 

The  river  rises  slowly  under  the  influence  of  late  spring  rains, 
attaining  its  greatest  elevation  in  June,  which  at  Dubuque  is  fifteen 
to  eighteen  feet,  and  falls  in  the  same  gradual  manner,  causing 
comparatively  but  little  injury  to  property. 

In  respect  to  the  country  west  of  the  Coteau  du  Missouri  in  the 
Missouri  valley,  we  have  the  evidence  of  Lewis  and  Clark  and 
others,  that  the  snow  does  not  fall  in  any  great  quantity  or  attain 
any  great  depth  in  winter.  In  the  journal  of  the  former,  and  of 
Sergeant  Gass,  of  their  winter  sojourn  at  Fort  Mandan,  they  state 
that  slight  falls  of  snow  were  noticed  on  the  14th,  15th  and  24th 
of  November,  amounting,  altogether,  to  four  or  five  inches  only. 
On  the  27th  and  28th  of  November  it  fell  to  the  depth  of  thirteen 
inches,  and  did  not  fall  again  until  the  2d  January.  On  the  8th 
and  10th  of  Dec,  "the  Buffalo  darkened  the  prairies  in  great 
numbers."  They  killed  several,  and  "found  the  snow  six  to  eight 
inches  deep,  and  sometimes  eighteen  inches." 

On  the  3d  and  14th  of  January  were  slight  falls  of  snow  and  on 
the  14th  Februaiy  the  last  during  the  vdnter.  On  the  13th  Feb- 
ruary Capt.  Clark  returned  from  a  Buffalo  hunt  and  he  remarks, 
that  on  the  last  day  he  "  walked  30  miles  on  the  ice  and  through 
snow  in  many  places  knee  deep.''''  On  the  6th  of  March  the  snow 
was  evidently  all  gone,  as  the  Indians  were  burning  the  prairies 
to  get  an  early  crop  of  grass.  No  mention  is  made  of  the  use  of 
6 


82 


snow-shoes  during  the  winter  by  themselves  or  by  the  natives,  or 
of  their  having  been  used  in  former  winters. 

The  fact  that  the  buffalo  and  the  elk  were  able  to  subsist  on 
the  prairies  through  the  winter,  shows  that  the  snow  could  not 
have  been  very  deep.  The  rains  through  the  winter,  were  less 
frequent  than  the  snows.  In  .noticing  a  fall  of  rain  on  the  first  of 
April,  they  state  that  "  with  the  exception  of  a  few  drops  at  two 
or  three  different  times,  (January  1st  and  February  2d,)  this  is 
the  first  rain  since  the  15th  of  October  last,"  and  they  remark  in 
another  place  that  "the  air  is  remarkably  dry  and  pure  in  this 
open  country,  very  little  rain  or  snow  either  winter  or  summer." 

Catlin  states  that  "the  horses  which  the  Indians  ride  in  this 
country,  (the  Mandan  villages,)  are  invariably  the  wild  horses 
which  are  found  in  great  numbers  on  the  prairies,  and  have,  un- 
questionably, strayed  from  the  Mexican  borders,  into  which  they 
were  introduced  by  the  Spanish  invaders  of  that  country,  and  now 
ranjre  and  subsist  themselves  in  winter  and  summer  over  the  vast 
plains  of  prairie  that  stretch  from  the  Mexican  frontier  to  lako 
Winnipeg,  on  the  north,  a  distance  of  3000  miles."  Writing  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Teton  river,  on  the  Missouri,  he  says  that,  "  it  is 
very  evident  that  as  high  north  as  lako  Winnipeg,  seven  or  eight 
hundred  miles  north  of  this,  the  buffalo  subsists  itself  through  the 
severest  winters,"  and  also  that  "  the  snow  in  these  regions  often 
lies  to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  feet,  being  blown  away  from  the 
tops  and  sides  of  the  hills  in  many  places,  which  arc  left  bare  for 
the  buffalo  to  graze  upon." 

In  the  journal  of  Mr.  Hunt,  in  Irving's  Astoria,  it  is  stated  that 
the  Shayen  Indians  at  the  head  of  the  Shayen  branch  of  the  Mis- 
souri, catch  horses  on  the  prairies  and  "  repair  to  the  Arikara 
villages,  where  they  exchange  them  for  corn,  beans,  pumpkins, 
etc."  These  villages  are  on  the  Missouri  river  in  latitude  46^  to 
47°  N.  a  short  distance  below  the  Mandans. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  from  information  derived 
from  a  gentleman  connected  with  the  American  Fur  Company,  it 
appears  that  the  snows  seldom  accumulate  to  a  depth  as  gi-eat  as 


4«|I-1I  "  ••  1^ 


83 


three  feet.  The  average  or  ordinary  depth  in  that  part  of  the 
Missouri  valley  is  18  to  24  inches  only.  This  also  appears  to  bo 
about  the  average  depth  throughout  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
valley  to  the  mountains. 

The  Missouri,  like  the  Mississippi^  is  not  swollen  by  winter  or 
early  spring  floods.  At  the  period  of  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice 
at  Fort  Mandan  in  March,  the  river,  according  to  Lewis  and  Clark, 
rose  but  a  few  inches.  The  winter  and  early  spring  rains  are  not 
sufficiently  copious,  combined  with  the  melting  of  the  snows,  which 
cannot  be  very  deep  in  the  lower  valleys,  to  produce  floods  at  that 
season. 

At  a  later  period,  the  rains,  joined  to  the  influence  of  a  summer 
temperature  upon  the  snows  collected  in  the  higher  parts  of  the 
mountains,  cause  the  river  to  rise  very  gradually,  attaining  its 
greatest  height  in  July,  when  it  soon  after  subsides  in  the  same 
gradual  manner. 

Such  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Missouri  and  of  Clark's  river  as 
are  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  Lewis'  Pass  are  never  much  swollen 
at  any  season.  According  to  Lewis  and  Clark  the  banks  of  Medi- 
cine river  near  the  Missouri,  which  do  not  exceed  3  to  5  feet  in 
height,  are  never  overflowed.  The  Cokalahishkit,  although  its 
banks  are  not  high,  is  never  overflowed.  This  could  not  be  the 
case  if  there  was  any  great  accumulation  of  snow  in  the  valleys 
of  these  streams  in  winter.  Even  the  Missouri  river  at  a  point 
100  miles  nearer  to  the  snow-capped  summits  of  the  Fremont 
group,  with  banks  of  only  eight  feet  high,  is  never  overflowed, 
and  Capt.  Clark  says  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  which  has  its  sources 
still  nearer  to  the  snow-crowned  sunmiits  of  the  Wind  river  and 
Black  Mountains,  that  "its  banks,  although  low,  are  never  subject 
to  be  overflowed,  except  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mountains." 

Lewis  and  Clark  when  passing  the  Kooskootskie  Mountains 
found  the  snow  in  the  last  days  of  June  from  two  to  eight  feet 
deep,  on  the  average,  for  sixty  miles.  One  week  afterwards  they 
were  on  the  summit  of  Lewis'  Pass,  between  Clark's  river  and  the 
Missouri,  where  every  vestige  of  snow  had  disappeared,  and  vege- 


84 


tation  was  in  an  advanced  state;  an  evidence  both  of  the  less 
amount  of  snow  upon  that  summit,  and  of  its  lower  elevation. 

The  obstruction  offered  by  snows  to  the  movement  of  trains  on 
a  railroad  depends  upon  their  depth,  suddenness  of  their  fall,  and 
accumulation  by  drifting,  and  also  by  the  width  of  the  passage  or 
valley  through  the  mountains  occupied  by  the  road.  It  will  be 
seen  by  the  description  already  given  of  Lewis'  Pass,  that  the  val- 
ley is  an  open  one,  and  is  not  enclosed  between  very  high  moun- 
tains, and  consequently  tiie  land  will  not  be  exposed  to  slides  or 
avalanches  from  adjoining  slopes.  Wherever  accumulations  of 
flnow  may  chance  to  occur  from  drifts,  ample  spaoe  exists  for  its 
displacement  by  the  usual  and  thoroughly  effective  mc^ans  resorted 
to  in  similar  cases  on  all  railroads ;  means  which,  upon  a  road 
doing  a  large  business,  are  always  at  command,  and  being  con- 
stantly applied,  will  make  it  impossible  for  the  snows  to  accumu- 
late in  so  large  a  quantity  upon  the  track,  in  the  region  in  question, 
as  to  form  a  very  serious  obstacle  to  the  movement  of  trains. 

Throughout  the  entire  distance  from  the  lakes  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  quantity  of  snow  Is  very 
limited,  and  that  it  falls  mostly  in  November  and  the  first  part  of 
December.  After  that  period  there  is  very  little  humidity  in  the 
air  or  evaporation  to  produ(^c  it  from  local  causes,  and  the  tenjpe- 
rature  is  then  too  low  for  it  to  reach  that  region  from  any  very 
remote  source.  The  winters  are  in  general  characterized  by  a 
fine  bracing  atmosphere,  great  uniformity  in  the  weather,  more  so 
than  is  experienced  near  the  coast,  the  cold  occasionally  intense, 
but  on  the  whole  quite  as  agreeable  and  probably  more  favorable 
to  health  than  the  winters  of  New  England. 

Upon  that  portion  of  the  proposed  route  lying  between  the 
Rocky  and  Cascade  range  of  mountains  the  snow  falls  to  a  greater 
depth  than  upon  the  portion  last  under  consideration.  Com. 
Wilkes  informs  us  that  in  the  Columbia  valley  north  of  the  latitude 
of  49°,  a  region  covered  mostly  by  dense  forests,  "the  snow  lies 
on  the  ground  from  November  to  April  or  May  on  an  average  six 
feet  deep." 


85 


At  the  missionary  station  at  Lapwai,  on  the  Kooskootskie  river 
150  miles  south,  and  elevated  1,600  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
there  is  usually  but  little  snow  and  the  "  grass  continues  green  the 
year  round."  The  mean  annual  temperature  at  this  point  is  53° 
F.  At  Walla  Walla  situated  to  the  west  of  Lapwai  and  elevated 
1,300  feet  above  the  sea,  scarcely  any  snow  falls  the  entire  winter. 
On  the  plains  of  the  Columbia  100  miles  further  north  "the  snow 
never  covers  the  earth  more  than  a  foot  deep." 

Capt.  Bonneville  informs  us  that  he  left  the  Green  Kiver  valley 
of  the  Colorado  for  the  upper  part  of  the  Salmon  river  valley,  for 
the  reason  that  the  winters  in  the  former  were  represented  as  more 
severe,  the  snow  frequently  falling  to  the  depth  of  several  feet. 
He  remained,  however,  in  the  latter  place  no  longer  than  the  last 
of  December,  being  obliged  to  remove  to  the  valley  of  Lewis  river. 
The  snow,  while  he  remained,  was  not  so  deep  as  to  prevent  his 
horses  from  getting  access  to  the  grass,  and  during  that  period  and 
for  the  remainder  of  the  winter  the  incursions  of  the  Blackfeet 
Indians,  whose  territory  is  east  of  the  Eocky  Mountains,  were 
frequent,  showing  that  the  Passes  through  the  mountains  at  that 
season  were  not  only  passable,  but  afforded  sustenance  for  the 
horses  of  the  Indians,  the  number  of  which  were  increased  on  their 
return  by  captures  from  their  enemies. 

Capt.  Bonneville,  in  his  march  to  Lewis  river,  found  the  snow 
on  the  great  lava  plain,  which  forms  a  striking  feature  in  the  char- 
acter of  its  valley,  only  twenty  inches  in  depth.  His  encampment 
on  the  river  was  probably  in  latitude  43  j®  N.  between  Fort  Hall 
and  Henry's  Fork,  at  an  elevation  of  about  4,700  feet.  Fort  Hall, 
being  4,5U0  feet  by  Fremont's  measurement.  Towards  the  last  of 
February  he  returned  to  the  Salmon  river.  The  snow  upon  the 
plains  was  then  30  inches  only  in  depth.  Upon  these  plains  and 
in  the  mountain  defiles  leading  from  them,  the  bufifalo  remain 
throughout  the  winter.  In  one  of  these  defiles  Capt.  B.  found 
the  *'  weather  moderate  "  and  "  the  grass  sprouting  more  than  an 
inch  in  height." 

Father  De  Smet  who  ascended  Clark's  river  in  a  canoe  from 


86 


below  Kalispel  Lake  to  the  mission  of  St  Mary's,  a  distance  of 
250  miles,  in  the  beginning  of  February  1845,  states  the  depth  of 
the  snow  in  the  valley  to  be  five  feet.  The  mean  elevation  of  the 
valley  is  probably  about  2,000  feet  From  the  preceding  it  is  in- 
fered  that  three  feet  is  a  liberal  estimate,  for  the  mean  depth  of 
the  snow  wiieu  lying  deepest  upon  the  portion  of  the  proposed 
route  between  the  Rocky  and  Cascade  Mountains. 

In  Irving's  Astoria  it  is  stated  that  "but  little  snow  falls 
throughout  the  winter  in  the  plains  and  valleys  of  the  lower  part 
of  the  Columbia,  and  that  it  rarely  lies  on  the  ground  more  than 
two  days  at  a  time." 

The  remaining  portion  of  the  route  to  the  Pacific,  lying  west  of 
the  Cascade  or  President's  Bange,  it  is  well  known  is  not  subject 
to  falls  of  snow  of  any  great  depth.  It  is  upon  that  part  only 
which  is  situated  in  the  more  elevated  portion  of  the  mountains 
that  the  road  will  be  liable  to  obstructions  from  this  canse.  Lieut. 
Johnson  passed  this  Bange  the  last  of  May  in  a  lat.  47|  N.  and 
found  snow  on  the  summit  at  the  height  of  about  5,000  feet.  The 
summit  was  five  miles  across,  and  the  snow  extended  down  from 
it  on  the  east  side,  making  the  distance  covered  by  the  snow  in  all, 
eight  miles,  and  the  greatest  depth,  ten  feet.  This  snow  being 
below  the  line  of  perpetual  congelation  was  all  accumulated  the 
winter  previous,  and  had  probably  wasted  considerably,  so  that 
the  depth  was  undoubtedly  much  greater,  and  it  extended  much 
farther  down  the  sides  of  the  mountain. 

Whatever  the  actual  depth  or  extent  of  the  snow  may  have 
been,  as  an  obstacle  to  the  running  of  trains  on  a  Bailroad,  it  should 
not  be  considered  very  formidable.  At  a  lower  elevation  such  as 
there  is  much  reason  to  expect  can  be  obtained  for  the  passage  of 
the  road,  not  exceeding,  it  is  supposed,  4,000  feet  above  the  sea, 
there  would  not,  it  is  believed,  have  been  any  snow  visible  at  the 
period  of  Lieut.  Johnson's  visit,  unless  in  some  very  deep  and  nar- 
row ravines  where  the  sun's  rays  could  not  penetrate.  The  dis- 
tance across  the  highest  part  of  this  Range  is  short  comparatively, 
so  that  in  the  event  of  its  being  doomed  advisable  to  adopt  a  plan 


87 


of  construction  for  a  Road  more  than  ordinarily  expensive  to 
obviate  any  liability  to  obstructions  from  snows,  it  will  not  enhance 
very  materially  the  cost  of  the  work. 

The  apprehension  that  any  extraordinary  expense  will  need  to 
be  incurred  to  prevent  obstructions  from  snows  on  the  Cascade 
Range,  may  prove  entirely  groundless  when  the  Bead  comes  to  be 
located  and  constructed. 

It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  a  Pass,  even  lower  than  that 
assumed,  may  not  be  found,  or  that  the  mountains  may  not  be  in 
great  part  avoided,  and  the  gradients  lessened,  without  very 
materially  increasing  the  length  of  the  Road,  or  carrying  it  into 
the  territory  of  a  foreign  power. 

It  is  known  that  a  complete  opening  through  the  Cascade  Eange 
exists  near  the  international  boundary,  where  it  is  passed  by  Fra- 
zer's  river,  and  it  is  known  also,  that  Frazer's  river  at  that  point 
is  very  near  to  the  boundary,  and  may  possibly  be  so  near  as  to 
permit  the  location  of  the  road  within  the  limits  of  the  United 
States,  and  thus  avoid  the  additional  rise  and  fall,  and  higher  gra- 
dients, and  inconveniences  from  snows  consequent  upon  the  passage 
of  the  mountain  by  a  more  direct  route.  The  branch  to  the  main 
line  which  will  doubtless  ultimately  be  carried  down  the  valley  of 
the  Columbia  to  the  mouth  of  that  river,  will  avoid  entirely,  all  the 
difficulties  of  the  Cascade  Eange,  whether  proceeding  from  the 
snows  or  from  any  other  cause. 

When  tho  New  York  and  Erie  Railroad  was  projected,  fears 
were  entertained  by  many,  that  if  built,  it  might  be  rendered  use- 
less for  a  portion  at  least  of  every  winter,  because  of  the  snows 
which  fall  and  accumulate  often  to  a  great  depth  in  the  elevated 
country  through  which  it  passes.  In  a  Report  in  relation  to  that 
Road  in  1838,  I  remarked  "that  the  snow  in  the  latitude  of  New 
York  does  not  fall  on  the  average  more  than  about  20  or  25  days 
in  the  year,  and  upon  a  road  doing  a  constant  business  with  loco- 
motive steam  power,  cannot  as  an  obstruction  exceed  the  ordinary 
interruptions  to  the  transportation  upon  canals  from  breaches  in 
the  banks,  repairs  and  floods  and  other  failures  during  the  season 
of  navigation." 


88 


This  opinion  has  been  fully  confirmed  by  the  subsequent  experi- 
ence on  that  road,  aid  upon  other  roads  in  the  northern  and 
eastern  States  where  the  snows  constitute  a  more  serious  obstacle 
to  the  regular  running  of  trains  in  winter,  than  anything  of  a 
similar  nature  to  be  met  with  on  the  entire  line  of  the  proposed 
railroad  of  nineteen  hundred  miles  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  with  the  single  exception,  perhaps,  of  the  few  miles 
embraced  in  the  passage  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  already 
noticed. 

It  may  be  remarked  in  concluding  this  branch  of  the  subject, 
that  whatever  may  be  the  difliculties  from  snows  on  the  proposed 
Northern  route,  it  is  quite  certain  they  will  not  only  be  equalled, 
but  will  probably  be  surpassed  by  those  which  will  bo  experienced 
on  any  route  which  can  be  found  between  it  and  the  35th  parallel 
of  latitude,  terminating  not  farther  south  on  the  Pacific  than  San 
Francisco. 

This  follows  from  the  greater  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  due 
to  the  lower  latitudes,  and  from  the  great  elevation  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  and  Eocky  Mountains.  It  was,  it  will  be  remembered, 
not  very  far  from  Santa  Fe  that  Col.  Fremont  lost  one-third  of  his 
party  and  all  of  his  animals  in  the  snows  of  the  Sierra  San  Juan; 
and  although  the  elevation  he  attained  was  considerably  greater 
probably,  than  that  of  the  Pass  which  he  intended  to  take,  still  it 
is  evident  that  in  the  upper  Del  Norte  mountains  the  snows  must 
at  times  fall  to  a  depth  sufi^cieut  to  be  an  impediment  of  a  serious 
nature  to  a  railroad. 

Even  upon  the  high  plains  of  the  Arkansas  snow  storms  have 
been  known  to  prevail  with  such  suddenness  as  nearly  to  over- 
whelm men  and  animals  when  unable  to  find  shelter  from  their 
violence.  What  is  true  of  the  mountains  and  plains  of  the  Upper 
Del  Norte  in  this  respect,  is  also  true  in  a  greater  degree  of  the 
Nevada  mountains  in  California,  as  may  be  seen  by  Col.  Fremont's 
description  of  his  passage  across  them  in  the  winter  of  1843-4, 
and  also  by  reference  to  the  journal  of  McKinstry  who  was  one  of 
a  party  of  emigrants,  numbering  eighty  in  all,  nearly  one-half  of 


I  „:' 


89 

whom  perished  in  the  snows  in  their  attempt  to  cross  the  moun- 
tains in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1846  and  1847. 

For  the  reasons  above  stated,  it  is  probable  that  the  obstructions 
which  will  be  experienced  from  snows  on  any  of  the  other  pro- 
posed routes  north  of  the  latitude  of  35°  will  be  much  greater 
than  upon  the  one  under  consideration,  while  upon  the  latter  they 
will  not  be  of  so  formidable  a  character  as  not  to  be  readily  sur- 
mounted by  a  resort  to  the  proper  means,  without  involving  any 
very  great  or  unusual  expense  for  the  purpose,  provided  the  road 
is  judiciously  located  and  constructed. 


41 


.)' 


TERMINI  ON  THE  PACIFIC  AND  ON  THE  L AKEa 


Having  now  concluded  the  description  of  the  proposed  road,  its 
character,  and  the  country  through  which  it  passes;  attention  is 
requested  to  the  places  selected  for  its  termini. 

In  no  part  of  the  world  can  a  site  be  found  for  a  great  maratime 
city, — such  an  one  as  must  necessarily  grow  up  at  the  terminus  of 
the  proposed  railroad  on  the  Pacific, — superior  to  that  which  is 
afforded  on  the  watera  connected  with  the  straits  of  De  Fuca. 

According  to  Commander  Wilkes  these  straits  are  ninety-five 
miles  in  length,  and  eleven  miles  broad.  They  connect  within  our 
own  borders  with  several  spacious  inlets,  known  as  Hood's  Canal, 
Paget  Sound,  Admiralty  Inlet,  and  the  Archipelago  of  Arro. 
Those  were  all  carefully  surveyed  under  his  direction,  and  he 
represents  them  as  "  unsurpassed  by  any  estuary  in  the  world. 
They  comprise  very  many  fine  harbors  and  safe  anchorages,  and 
lire  entirely  free  from  dangers.  •  •  The  country  by  which  these 
waters  are  surrounded  is  remarkably  salubrious,  and  offers  every 
advantage  for  the  accommodation  of  a  vast  commercial  and  mili- 
tary marine,  with  conveniences  for  docks ;  and  many  sites  for  towns 
and  cities, — at  all  times  well  supplied  with  water,  and  capable  of 
being  provided  with  every  thing  by  the  surrounding  country, 
which  is  well  adapted  for  agriculture."  In  particular,  he  states, 
that  "on  the  east  side  of  Admiralty  Inlet,  north  of  the  latitude  of 
47°,  are  many  fine  harbors  and  bays,  all  of  which,  in  time,  will 

90 


91 

become  places  of  resort  for  vessels.  Situated  on  the  east  side  they 
are  more  accessible  for  trade  than  those  on  the  west  side,  and  from 
having  a  large  area  of  country  around  them,  susceptible  of  un- 
provement,  they  must  become  more  thickly  and  densely  popula- 
ted." Ten  of  these  bays  and  harbors  are  enumerated.  "  Nothing," 
he  continues,  "  can  exceed  the  beauty  of  these  waters,  and  their 
safety."  "  Spring  tides  i-iso  eighteen  feet,  and  neap  tides  twelve 
feet,  affording  every  facility  for  the  construction  of  dry  docks ; 
winters  mild  and  of  short  duration,  and  harbors  never  obstructed 
by  ice."  The  islands  in  the  Archipelago  of  Arro,  he  informs  us, 
contain  quarries  of  sandstone  and  granite,  convenient  of  access  ( 
and  suitable  for  building. 

Thornton  in  speaking  of  these  waters,  states  that  there  are  many 
reasons  which  produce  the  conviction  on  his  mind  that  they  "  will 
ultimately  send  out  upon  the  ocean,  not  only  a  greater  number  of 
able  nnd  skilful  seamen  than  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  but  more 
than  any  other  of  equal  extent  in  the  world." 

"  Among  the  reasons  which  may  be  assigned  for  this  opinion,  is 
the  inexhaustible  supply  of  good  timber  along  the  shores  of  this 
great  Bay,  and  the  unlimited  amount  of  motive  power,  as  com- 
pared with  the  almost,  if  not  quite  total  absence  of  both,  about 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  I  may  also  mention  the  fact,"  he  says, 
"  of  the  vastly  superior  productive  powers  of  Oregon,  (now  Ore- 
gon and  Washington,)  as  an  agricultural  country,  rendering  it 
capable  of  furnishing  supplies  to  an  indefinite  extent  to  a  commer- 
oiftl  and  military  marine." 

To  the  above  may  be  added,  the  abundant  supply  of  bituminous 
coal  for  marine  and  manufacturing  and  other  purposes,  since  ascer- 
tained to  exist  in  the  vicinity  of  those  waters,  and  to  which  allusion 
has  already  been  made  in  another  place. 

Naval  gentlemen  with  wl>om  I  have  conversed,  and  who  have 
visited  these  waters,  all  concur  in  giving  to  them  the  high  charac- 
ter awarded  to  them  by  Commander  Wilkes  and  Mr.  Thornton. 
They  are  capacious  enough  to  accommodate  the  navy  of  the  world; 
are  free  from  shoals  and  from  all  dangers  not  visible,  and  are  easily 


92 


accessible  at  all  seasons.  As  a  site  for  a  great  commercial  mart 
they  have  no  equal  in  the  particulars  enumerated  above,  on  the 
Pacific,  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 

The  only  other  ports  on  that  coast,  which  can  be  considered  as 
having  claim  to  consideration  as  points  of  general  resort  for  the 
marine  of  the  Pacific,  have  already  been  named.  They  are  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  San  Prancisco,  and  San  Diego. 

The  mouth  of  the  Columbia  was  for  a  long  time  deemed  to  bo 
difficult  of  access.  The  dangers  and  diflScultics  of  the  entrance 
are  spoken  of  by  Wilkes  and  Parnham  and  others,  but  the  recent 
surveys  made  under  the  direction  of  Prof  Bache,  by  Lieut.  Bart- 
lett,  of  the  Navy,  have  disclosed  the  existence  of  a  channel  not 
before  known,  and  the  entrance  is  now  efiected  at  the  proper  period 
of  the  tide  with  so  little  danger,  that  the  Insurance  offices,  it  is 
understood,  take  risks  for  the  Columbia,  the  same  as  for  San 
Francisco.  In  1850  the  pilots,  according  to  Lieut.  Bartlett,  took 
one  hundred  and  forty  sail,  through  the  new,  or  South  channel, 
some  of  them  drawing  seventeen  and  a  half  feet,  and  ten  vessels 
passed  through  without  a  pilot,  no  accident  occurring.  In  this 
time,  only  four  vessels  passed  through  the  old  or  north  channel 
The  greatest  depth  on  the  bar  is  21  feet. 

The  spring  tides  within  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  at  Astoria, 
rise  seven  and  &  half  feet,  the  neap  tides  five  and  one-third  feet, 
and  the  mean  rise  and  fall  is  estimated  at  six  and  one-third  feet 
In  the  facilities  afforded  for  the  erection  of  dry  docks,  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  is  inferior  to  the  waters  connected  with  the  straits 
of  De  Puca,  the  mean  rise  and  fall  of  tide  in  the  latter  being  about 
fifteen  feet.  In  respect  to  the  tides  and  character  of  the  entrance, 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  does  not  appear  to  differ  very  much 
from  the  harbor  of  New  York,  and  is  consequently  very  well  suited 
for  the  terminus  of  the  proposed  railroad. 

By  making  it  such,  the  line  of  the  road  will  be  increased  in 
length  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  if  the  point  of  diverg- 
ence is  placed  at  the  entrance  to  Clark's  River  Valley  east  of  Port 
Golville.    The  .Cascade  Mountains,  which  constitute  the  only  ob- 


93 


etacle  of  a  eorioas  character  on  the  Northern  route,  throughout  its 
entire  length,  will  be  entirely  avoided,  and  hence  should  it  bo 
found,  from  the  surveys  now  in  progress,  that  those  mountains 
cannot  easily  be  passed  on  the  shorter  route  to  the  Straits  of  Da 
Fuca,  it  will  follow  that  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  will  be  the  beet 
principal  terminus  for  the  proposed  road ;  and  whether  it  is  so 
found  or  not,  its  character  as  a  maratime  port,  and  its  relation  to 
the  valley  of  the  Columbia  is  such,  as  to  render  a  connection  with 
it  indispensable.  In  relation  to  the  Asiatic  trade  its  position  is 
about  as  favorable  as  the  proposed  terminus  at  De  Fuca,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  latter  being  placed  so  far  inland;  a  principal  objec- 
tion to  it,  being  the  increased  distance  by  railroad  from  the  Pacific 
to  the  Lakes. 

In  respect  to  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  we  are  informed  by 
Commander  Wilkes,  that  it  is  "  well  adapted  for  a  naval  depot  or 
a  place  for  whalers  to  recruit  and  refit; "but  he  "knows  of  no 
place  where  a  natural  site  for  a  town  can  be  found  throughout  the 
whole  Bay,"  and  it  appeared  to  him  "  extremely  difficult  to  select 
one  where  the  locality  would  permit  of  extensive  artificial  improve- 
ments." 

The  city  of  San  Francisco  is  situated  a  short  distance  within 
the  entrance  to  the  Bay  on  the  south  side.  The  population  of 
California,  exclusive  of  what  is  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the 
city,  is  mostly  ^ound  north  of  tbe  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Sacramento  and  its  tributaries,  a  region  so  situated  as  to 
render  it  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  form  a  very  direct  Railroad 
communication  between  it  and  the  city  of  San  Francis(!0,  a  disad- 
vantage not  experienced  by  the  other  places  named  in  respect  to 
railway  connections  with  the  interior. 

In  regard  to  its  position  in  relation  to  the  Asiatic  trade,  in  the 
facilities  it  possesses  for  obtaining  supplies  of  timber,  fuel  and  pro- 
visions, and  in  its  probable  future  position  as  a  central  point  in 
relation  to  the  population  which  is  rapidly  increasing  on  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific,  San  Francisco  is  believed  to  be  much  less  favored 
than  its  northern  rivals  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  or  at  the 
Straits  of  De  Fuca. 


N 


In  respect  to  the  other  port  mentioned,  that  of  San  Diego,  Com- 
mander Wilkes  describes  it  as  an  "  arm  of  the  sea  ten  miles  long 
and  four  miles  wide,  and  being  landlocked  is  perfectly  secure  from 
all  winds.  The  entrance  is  narrow  and  is  easily  defended,  and  has 
a  sufficient  depth  of  water,  twenty  feet,  at  lowest  tide."  There  is 
a  bank  of  kelp,  three  miles  long  by  one-fourth  broad,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  hnrbor,  which  must  be  avoided  by  large  vessels. 
"  The  drawbacks,"  he  states,  "are  want  of  fresh  water,  the  streams 
not  reaching  the  bay  in  the  dry  season,"  and  the  character  of  the 
surrounding  country,  which  is  "  a  barren  waste  of  sand  hills,  com- 
posed of  volcanic  sand  and  mud  mixed  with  scoria.  The  land  is 
unfit  for  cultivation.  This  leaves  little  to  recommend  it  but  the 
uniform  climate,  good  anchorage  and  security  from  winds." 

In  another  place  he  speaks  of  its  inadequacy  to  accommodate 
the  commerce  of  the  Pacific,  and  of  the  country  around  it  to  fur- 
nish the  necessary  supplies. 

The  superintendent  of  the  Coast  survey  considers  the  harbor  of 
San  Diego,  from  the  shelter  it  affords  from  all  winds  and  the  depth 
of  its  water,  as  second  only  to  San  Francisco.  He  says,  however, 
that  "  the  most  important  subject  connected  with  the  Bay  is  the 
effect  of  the  debouchement  of  the  San  Diego  river,  bringing  with 
it,  when  high,  (in  the  rainy  season)  great  quantities  of  sand  directly 
into  the  channel." 

The  impression  seems  to  be  that  the  harbor  will  be  ruined,  un- 
less the  course  of  the  river  is  changed,  which  is  said  to  be  prac- 
ticable. 

The  mean  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  of  this  port  is  6  feet,  spring 
tides  9  feet,  and  neap  tides  3}  feet.  At  San  Francisco,  as 
stated,  the  mean  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  is  6  feet ;  both  inferior  in 
this  respect  to  the  waters  connected  with  the  straits  of  De  Fuca. 
The  harbor  of  San  Diego  being  in  lat.  32°  40'  N.  near  the  Mexi- 
can boundary,  is  too  far  south  to  be  the  tenninus  of  any  line  of 
Bailroad  from  the  east  which  does  not  cross  the  lower  part  of  the 
valley  of  the  Colorado,  and  hence  does  not  properly  come  under 
consideration  from  any  relation  which  it  has  to  the  proposed  North- 
ern routo. 


Id 

Humboldt  harbor,  botvvoen  San  Francisco  and  the  month  of  the 
Columbia,  in  lat  40*'  45'  N.  is  more  capacious  than  San  Diego,  but 
the  fact  that  it  is  not  accessible  in  very  heavy  weather,  and  cannot 
be  approached  by  any  important  line  of  Railway  connecting  di- 
rectly with  the  interior,  is  sufficient  to  exclude  it  from  the  list  of 
places  suited  for  the  main  terminus  of  the  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  point  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia,  already  described,  as 
the  most  desirable  to  be  reached  of  any  single  point,  is  Bhanghai, 
in  China.  This  point  is  also  designated  as  being  the  most  central 
to  the  trade  and  commerce  of  Eastern  Asia  in  a  late  report  of 
Hon.  E.  C.  Cabell,  M.  C.  This  being  its  character,  its  actual  dis- 
tance from  the  principal  points  on  our  Pacific  coast,  becomes  an 
enquiry  of  importance.  By  computation,  the  length  of  the  arc  of 
a  great  circle  of  the  earth,  connecting  it  with  San  Francisco  is  6,185 
miles,  and  it  is  distant  from  the  terminus  of  the  proposed  Road  at 
the  Straits  of  De  Fuca,  computed  in  a  similar  manner,  5,716  miles, 
making  a  difference  in  favor  of  the  latter  of  four  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  miles. 

Jeddo,  the  capital  of  Japan,  is  about  one  thousand  miles  nearer 
to  either  port  than  Shanghai.  In  making  the  round  trip  to  Shang- 
hai or  Jeddo,  or  to  any  port  in  China  or  Japan,  vessels  from  San 
Francisco,  must  traverse  nearly  ono  thousand  miles  farther  than 
from  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca ;  an  increase  which  it  is  certainly  very 
desirable  to  avoid  in  view  of  the  vast  commerce  which  will  ulti- 
mately be  carried  on  between  the  two  continents. 

While  considering  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca  or  the  mouth  of  tlie 
Columbia  as  points  the  most  proper  for  the  main  terminus  of  the 
Road  on  the  Pacific,  its  benefits  can  be  extended  to  other  points 
of  importance ;  to  Humboldt  harbor  for  instance,  and  to  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco.  Affording  to  each  of  these  places  a  means  of 
communicating  with  the  leading  cities  on  the  Atlantic,  and  in  the 
Mississippi  and  St.  Lawrence  valleys,  superior  probably,  as  will  be 
shown  hereafter,  to  any  other  which  can  be  devised. 

That  San  Francisco  will  continue  to  be  a  point  of  very  great 
commercial  importance  to  a  largo  extent  of  country  is  not  doubted, 


96 


but  it  cannot  claim  the  preiiminonce  as  a  great  commercial  mart, 
and  although  it  has  thus  far  advanced  rapidly  in  population,  it 
must  eventually  yield  the  palm  in  that  respect  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  or  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca.  Its  diBtancc  from  the  latter 
point,  in  a  direct  line  is  733  miles  and  by  water  probably  850 
iiiilos.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  it  is  distant,  580  miles 
direct,  and  by  water  probably  COO  miles. 

The  terminus  at  Do  Fuca  of  the  proposed  Eoad,  not  only  offers 
a  shorter  communication  with  Eastern  Asia  than  any  other  point 
on  the  Pacific  within  our  own  borders,  but  its  position  is  such  as 
to  render  a  direct  communication  with  it  by  Railway  from  the 
Atlantic  more  important  than  with  any  of  the  more  southern  ports 
in  California,  for  the  reason,  that  the  latter  having  a  more  southern 
latitude  are  more  favorably  situated  in  respect  to  the  existing  and 
proposed  lines  of  communication  between  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 
Carribean  Sea  on  one  side,  and  the  Pacific  on  the  other. 

Of  these  lines,  two  only  which  traverse  the  Isthmus  are  in  opera- 
tion, one  of  them  crossing  at  Panama  and  the  other  by  Lake 
Nicaragua.  Three  others  are  projected  which  also  cross  the  Isth- 
nms  and  may  in  time  be  accomplished.  These  are  the  Tehuantepec 
and  Honduras,  which  are  railway  routes,  and  the  interoceanic 
canal  from  the  Gulf  of  San  Miguel  on  the  Pacific  to  Caledonia 
Bay  on  the  Atlantic,  120  miles  south  of  Chagres.  This  last  work 
is  now  said  to  be  practicable  by  a  thorough-cut,  thirty-three  miles 
only  in  length,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  in  depth  at  the 
deepest  point ;  having  no  lockage  except  what  may  be  required  to 
regulate  the  flow  of  the  water  caused  by  the  difference  in  level  ot 
the  two  oceans. 

The  more  southern  Ports  of  our  Pacific  coast,  will  be  benefited  in 
a  higher  degree  by  these  improvements  than  those  at  the  north,  thus 
giving  to  the  latter  a  stronger  claim  to  the  location  of  the  proposed 
Koad  across  the  continent ;  a  claim  which  is  fortunately  unstained 
by  the  superior  character  of  the  Northern  route  for  a  great  com- 
mercial thoroughfare.  The  northern  position  of  the  latter  also 
secures  it  in  a  great  degree  from  the  injurious  competition  which  a 


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97 


more  southern  route  must  necessarily  experience  from  the  commu- 
nications alluded  to  across  the  Isthmus. 

If  the  attention  is  directed  to  the  route  to  China  from  the  Straits 
of  De  Fuca,  or  from  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  it  will  be  seen 
that  it  passes  near  to  the  Aleutan  or  Fox  islands;  the  Kurilo 
islands  and  the  Japan  islands;  the  whole  forming  a  chain  extending 
nearly  two-thirds  of  the  entire  distance  to  China,  and  affording 
eventually  convenient  places  for  repairs  and  depots  for  fuel,  besides 
making,  with  the  countries  adjacent,  valuable  contributions  to  the 
trade  of  the  Pacific. 

The  Islands  first  named  constitute  the  southern  bounds  of  the 
sea  of  Kamschatka,  forming  a  girdle  extending  quite  across  the 
entrance  to  Behrings  Straits  which  open  into  the  Arctic  sea.  Sir 
John  Richardson  in  speaking  of  the  influence  of  these  islands  upon 
the  navigation  of  the  Pacific,  and  of  the  climate  of  western  Amer- 
ica, says,  that  "  the  course  of  the  ocean  currents  and  interposition 
of  the  peninsula,  of  Alaska  and  its  prolongation  by  the  Aleutan 
chain  of  islands  protect  the  west  coast  of  America  from  the  masses 
of  drift  ice  which  in  the  same  latitudes  encumber  and  chill  the 
Labrador  coast  for  most  of  the  year." 

"Wilkes  in  his  "  Western  America,"  speaking  of  the  navigation  of 
the  Pacific  says,  that,  "  lookimg  beyond  this  continent  we  find  equal 
advantages  existing  in  the  communication  with  China,  and  the  east- 
ern Islands,  not  only  by  steam  but  by  sailing  vessels,  the  winds 
being  favorable  both  ways.  The  passage  to  China  would  be  made 
with  the  assistance  of  the  trades  and  the  return  voyage,  by  the  aid 
of  the  variables  in  the  higher  latitudes." 

*'  No  country  is  so  well  situated  to  communicate  with  all  parts  of 
the  Pacific  ocean  as  Oregon  (now  Washington),  and  for  advantages 
it  is  equal  to  any,  whether  considered  under  the  head  of  agricul- 
ture, commerce  or  manufactures.  It  holds  that  position  with  re- 
gard to  the  Pacific  and  its  islands,  which  must  ever  make  it  a  ruler 
of  its  commerce,  and  when^nce  a  direct  communication  with  it  has 
been  opened,  from  the  east  side  of  the  continent,  it  must  receive 


98 


the  aid  both  in  capital  and  emigration  to  rise  quickly  into  import- 
ance, and  its  weight  to  be  felt  throughout  that  ocean." 

The  points  which  are  likely  to  be  most  prominent  as  termini  for 
the  proposed  Eiiilroad  on  the  great  lakes  of  the  St.  Lawrence  chain 
of  waters  are,  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior;  and  Green  Bay,  and 
the  cities  of  Milwaukie  and  Chicago  on  Lake  Michigan. 

Tlie  place  indicated  as  the  most  suitable  for  a  terminus  at  the 
west  end  of  Lake  Superior,  is  the  Inlet  at  the  junction  of  the  St. 
Louis  and  Nowadji  Ragouche  rivers.  This  Inlet  is  represented  as 
of  ample  size,  is  secure  from  the  v^inds  and  waves  of  the  Lake,  and 
accessible  to  vessels  drawing  8^  feet  water.  This  depth  it  is 
represented  can  be  increased  with  little  expense  to  12  feet;  which 
exceeds  the  average  draught  of  lake  vessels.  The  St.  Louis  river, 
for  some  distance  above  the  junction,  affords  accommodations  for 
vessels  of  a  smaller  size. 

Lake  Superior  is  elevated  about  C30  feet  above  the  sea,  its  bed 
in  tiie  deepest  part  is  below  the  sea  level,  and  its  waters  have  a 
mean  temperature  beneath  the  surface  of  40°  F.  The  navigation 
upon  it  is  good  for  six  to  seven  months  of  the  year,  and  continues 
often  into  December. 

The  rich  mines  of  copper  and  iron  on  its  southern  and  northern 
borders  are  bringing  to  its  shores  a  large  population,  and  when  the 
canal  of  the  Sault  St.  Marie  is  completed,  as  it  soon  will  be,  the 
only  obstruction  to  a  free  communication  with  the  other  great  lakes 
will  bo  removed,  and  the  waters  of  Lake  Superior  will  be  furrowed 
by  vessels  from  ports  many  hundred  miles  distant,  to  the  junction 
of  trie  St.  Lawrence  with  the  Atlantic. 

About  seventy  miles  to  the  east  of  St.  Louis  harbor  is  a  noble 
and  spacious  bay,  the  entrance  to  which  is  protected  by  Madeline 
island,  forming  what  is  probably  tlie  best  harbor  on  the  lake,  and 
from  its  many  attractions  must  become  a  place  of  some  importance. 
The  extension  of  the  proposed  Road  to  this  place,  may  possibly  bo 
attended  with  some  advantage  should  the  ice  at  the  opening  of 
navigation  in  the  spring  remain  for  an  inconvenient  length  of  time 
in  the  i^arbor  of  St.  liuuis  river. 


99 

The  other  places  named  are  on  Lake  Michigan.  Of  these,  Green 
Buy  aflfords  the  best  natural  harbor.  Its  importance  as  a  lake 
port,  will  soon  be  greatly  increased  by  the  opening  of  a  navigable 
communication  with  the  waters  of  the  Upper  Mississippi. 

Tills  work  which  consists  mainly  of  an  improvement  of  the 
Neenah,  and  Wisconsin  rivers  has  been  in  progress  for  some  time 
under  the  control  of  the  State.  It  has  now  passed  into  the  hands 
of  a  corporation  and  will  doubtless  soon  be  accomplidied,  and  if 
well  done,  will  be  the  channel  through  which  must  p&B  a  very 
large  portion  of  the  trade  of  Wisconsin,  Northern  Illinois,  Iowa 
and  Minnesota.  Upon  this  line  of  communication  between  Lake 
Winnebago  and  Green  Bay  or  Depere  (which  last  is  in  fact  the 
head  of  Lake  navigation)  is  a  full  in  the  outlet  of  the  Lake  extend- 
ing through  several  miles,  of  160  feet.  This  great  power,  from 
its  position  and  character,  being  subject  to  but  little  variation  in 
consequence  of  the  number  and  magnitude  of  the  reservoirs  that 
supply  it,  must  in  time  become  very  valuable,  and  must  add 
greatly  to  the  importance  of  Green  Bay  as  a  place  of  business. 
It  will  eventually  become  the  second  city  on  Lake  Michigan,  Chi- 
cago being  the  first. 

Milwaukie  is  now  the  largest  town  in  Wisconsin.  It  is  beautifully 
situated  on  the  shore  of  the  Lake  ninety  miles  north  of  Chicago, 
but  is  somewhat  limited  in  its  harbor  accommodations.  The  latter 
may  be  increased  by  the  erection  of  suitable  works  for  the 
purpose. 

So  long  as  the  region  of  country  west  of  Lake  Michigan  was 
dependent  solely  upon  the  navigation  of  the  Lakes  for  its  means 
of  access  to  the  great  markets,  Milwaukie  was  well  situated  for 
business,  being  the  most  convenient  port  for  an  e.xtensive  and  very 
fertile  region  of  country;  a  region  embracing  the  valley  of  Rock 
river  in  Wisconsin,  which  is  probably  not  surpassed  in  its  agricul- 
tural capabilities  by  any  other  district  of  equal  extent  in  the  Union. 

The  lines  of  railway  which  are  now  being  constructed  through- 
out all  parts  of  the  West  will  necessarily  produce  changes,  to  a 
certain  extent,  in  the  relative  importance  of  towns,  in  that  part  of 


100 

the  country.  The  projected  road  from  Milwaukio  to  LaCrosse 
and  another  to  Madison  will  connect  that  city  with  the  Great  Pa- 
cific line  in  the  best  manner  and  afford  an  outlet  to  the  Lake, 
mutually  advantageous  to  that  city  and  to  the  road.  Other  towns 
of  less  note  on  Lake  ]\ri(.liigan^  viz:  Sheboygan,  Racine,  and 
Kenosha,  have  already  taken  measures  that  will  secure  to  them  a 
similar  connection.  The  number  of  convenient  points  of  connec- 
tion with  Lakes  Superior  and  Michigan  within  the  limits  of  Wis- 
consin, give  to  the  latter  an  interest  in  the  Northern  route  to  the 
Pacific  unsurpassed  by  any  other  State  in  the  Union. 

Chicago  being  near  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Michigan,  is 
a  point  towards  which  the  various  lines  of  railway  traversing  the 
country  west  and  north-west  of  the  Great  Lakes,  must  converge, 
and  being  also  at  the  extreme  limit  of  the  unrivalled  navigation  of 
the  Lakes  is  the  point  of  convergence  for  many  other  lines  from 
the  west  around  to  the  south,  by  which  the  business  and  the  travel 
of  a  vast  and  very  fertile  region  of  country  finds  its  shortest  and 
easiest  connection  with  the  navigation  of  that  Lake.  Add  to  this 
its  very  central  position  in  respect  to  the  most  fertile  portions  of 
the  Mississippi  and  St.  La\vi*ence  basins,  and  the  generally  favora- 
ble character  of  its  climate,  and  it  is  quite  certain  of  becoming  in 
time  the  largest  inland  city  of  the  Union. 

Unlike  most  inland  cities  it  will  occupy,  in  a  great  measure,  an 
independent  position,  receiving  its  Asiatic  productions  from  the 
west,  its  tropical  productions  from  the  south,  the  produce  of  the 
fur  bearing  countries  direct  from  the  north,  and  the  trade  of  the 
Atlantic  from  the  east.  Thirty  years  hence  the  population  of  the 
region  of  country  immediately  dependent  on  Chicago  as  a  com- 
mercial mart,  will  probably  be  greater  than  that  which  now  sustains 
the  city  of  New  York,  and  being  without  a  rival  in  its  immediate 
vicinity,  and  nearly  central  to  the  entire  population  between  the 
Atlantic  and  Rocky  Mountains,  it  is  diflficult  to  fix  a  limit  to  what 
will  ultimately  be  either  its  actual  or  relative  magnitude. 

The  present  harbor  accommodations  of  Chicago  are  included  in 
the  two  branches  of  the  Chicago  river.    One  navigable  four,  and 


101 


the  other  three  miles  from  their  junction,  which  is  half  a  mile  from 
the  Lake.  In  view  of  its  future  growth,  an  outside  harbor  will,  in 
time,  be  required,  and  when  formed,  should  be  on  a  liberal  scale 
aiid  controlled  by  the  city,  for  the  best  good  of  the  various  interests 
concerned. 

The  character  of  the  navigation  of  the  great  Lakes  and  the  ar- 
tificial channels  connected  with  them,  is  now  so  well  known  as 
scarcely  to  require  any  notice  in  this  place.  The  value  of  property 
transported  upon  them  annually  is  said  now  to  exceed  four  hun- 
dred millions  of  dollars,  and  is  constantly  and  rapidly  increasing. 
In  cheapness  it  is  not  approached  by  any  other  mode  of  intercom- 
munication. Three  mills  per  ton  per  mile,  from  New  York  city  to 
Chictigo,  for  heavy  goods,  or  85. J  to  $7  per  ton,  is  now  an  ordinary 
rate  This  mode  of  communication  with  the  Atlantic  is  available 
about  seven  months  in  the  year.  When  the  Erie  canal  is  enlarged 
throughout  its  entire  length,  as  it  soon  will  be,  and  the  ship  canal, 
which  is  about  to  be  constructed  within  our  own  limits,  between 
Lake  Erie  and  Ontario,  is  accomplished,  this  rate  will  be  still  fur- 
ther reduced.  It  will  be  still  further  reduced,  also,  as  a  conse- 
quence of  the  great  increase  in  the  business  of  the  Lakes,  the 
improved  character  of  the  vessels,  and  of  the  harbors,  by  which 
the  risk  and  charges  of  insurance  will  be  lessened. 

The  reduction  in  the  cost  of  transportation  upon  the  Lakes,  and 
in  the  tolls  upon  the  Erie  canal,  which  have  hitherto,  from  time  to 
time,  been  made,  has  had  the  eflfect  of  attracting  trade  to  the  lakes 
from  remote  points,  which,  but  for  this  reduction,  would  have 
sought  some  other  route  to  the  seaboard,  and  probably  some  other 
mart  than  New  York.  The  future  reductions  which  will  be  made, 
for  the  reasons  stated  above,  will  have  the  efifect  of  widening  the 
circle  to  such  a  degree,  that  by  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi valley  will  be  tributary  to  the  Lakes ;  and  its  productions, 
instead  of  seeking  a  southern  market  along  the  descending  navi- 
gation of  the  Mississippi,  will  flow  northwardly  to  the  Lakes  and 
thence  to  the  great  emporium  on  the  Hudson.  The  influence  of 
climate  and  other  causes  will  doubtless  aid  materially  in  producing 
this  result. 


102 


The  Port  upon  the  Ijiikea  which  will  receive  a  larger  portion  of 
this  trade  than  any  other  is  Chicago.  This  place  iz  not  only  favored 
with  a  cheap  navigation  to  the  seaboard,  but  it  has  a  very  direct 
Railroad  communication  with  the  leading  cities  in  that  direction,  on 
which  the  cost  of  transportation  by  that  mode  of  conveyance  will 
be  low,  in  proportion  as  the  amount  of  business  will  probably  bo 
greater,  than  upon  any  other  lines  of  equal  extent  proceeding  from 
the  interior  to  the  seaboard. 

The  proposed  Northern  route  for  a  Eailroad  to  the  Pacific,  is 
not  only  peculiarly  favored  in  respect  to  its  termini  on  the  Lakes 
and  on  the  Pacific,  and  in  its  position  in  respect  to  the  Asiatic 
trade,  but  it  is  also  greatly  favored  in  its  connections  with  the  nav- 
igable waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Columbia,  and  also  of  the  Eed 
river  of  the  north. 

At  8t,  Pauls,  the  capital  of  Minnesota,  a  short  distance  below 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  it  connects  with  the  Mississippi,  from 
whence  a  communication  already  exists  with  all  parts  of  that  river 
and  of  its  tributaries  accessible  by  steamboats.  It  crosses  the  Eed 
river  in  lat.  46|°  N.,  the  head  of  navigation  of  that  river.  At  the 
Falls  of  the  Missouri,  distant  about  700  miles  from  the  Pacific,  a 
connection  can  be  made  with  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Missouri, 
and  other  similar  connections  may  be  made  at  convenient  points 
throughout  the  entire  distance  of  500  miles  from  the  Falls  to  the 
Mandan  villages. 

These  connections  will  be  of  great  importance  to  the  population 
of  the  Missouri  valley  and  its  tributaries ;  for  the  Missouri  river, 
notwithstanding  the  rapidity  of  its  current  caused  by  the  great 
inclination  of  its  channel,  compared  with  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio, 
the  limited  duration  of  the  periodical  rise  of  its  waters  and  the 
peculiar  character  of  its  banks,  is  still  susceptible  of  very  consid- 
erable improvement  for  the  purposes  of  navigation,  and  will  always 
possess  very  great  value  as  a  channel  of  intercommunication. 
The  quantity  of  water  flowing  in  it  is  not  likely  to  be  materially 
lessened  by  the  same  cause  which  has  aflfccted  many  eastern  rivers, 
namely,  the  removal  of  the  forests,  thus  increasing  the  evaporation 


103 


and  rondcring  the  contributions  from  thoir  various  tributaries  less 
equable,  and  producing  un  irregularity  in  the  flow  unfavorable  to 
navigation. 

Although  this  irregularity  is  not  so  great  on  the  Slissouri  as  on 
many  other  rivers,  the  Ohio,  for  instance,  yet  how  to  remedy  it,  is 
a  problem  of  more  difficult  solution,  probably,  than  upon  that 
river :  for  if  the  flow  were  reiuiered  nearly  uniform  by  a  resort  to 
reservoirs,  yet,  owing  to  the  great  declivity  of  its  channel,  and 
character  of  its  bed  and  bunks,  it  would,  doubtless,  be  exceedingly 
difficult  to  give  to  the  river  a  regime  that  would  be  permanent. 
Its  direction  and  depth,  even  then,  would  be  constantly  changing 
and  the  attempts  to  correct  this  tendency  would  be  attended  with 
very  considerable  expense,  and  yet,  as  stated  above,  there  is  no 
doubt  of  its  being  so  lar  improved,  and  at  a  reasonable  cost,  as  to 
afford  much  greater  facilities  as  a  navigable  channel  than  it  now 
possesses. 

West  of  the  mountains,  the  Clark's  river  and  the  Columbia  are,  to 
a  certain  degree,  navigable  so  as  to  be  of  much  advantage,  in  this 
respect,  to  the  portion  of  the  country  in  which  they  are  situated, 
and  like  the  other  rivers  named  will  be  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the 
proposed  Eailroad.  At  the  points  of  connection  with  these  navi- 
gable waters,  places  of  business  will  spring  up  and  grow  into 
towns  of  large  size.  In  this  list  St.  Pauls,  or  St.  Anthony,  on  the 
Mississippi,  will  hold  a  very  conspicuous  place. 

The  intersection  of  the  line  with  the  Red  river  of  the  north  will 
bo  another  point  of  importance,  as  this  river  is  navigable  from  the 
place  of  intersection,  400  miles  through  a  fertile  and  wheat  growing 
valley,  to  within  a  short  distance  of  Lake  Winnipeg.  Others  will 
spring  up  where  the  lino  meets  the  Missouri,  at  or  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Yellow  Stone  and  at  the  Great  Falls;  also  at  the  forks  on 
Clark's  river,  at  Fort  Colville,  and  at  Okanagan. 

The  Falls  of  the  Missouri  will  become  a  place  of  much  resort 
for  those  who  are  in  search  of  the  grand  and  beautiful  in  nature. 
The  size  of  the  ^lissouri  at  that  place  combined  with  its  great 
descent  of  nearly  400  feet,  distributed  in  a  succession  of  Rapids, 


104 


Cascades,  and  Falls  through  a  distance  of  15  to  20  miles,  must,  in 
connection  with  the  mountain  sceneiy,  present  many  enchanting 
views,  while  above,  a  few  miles  from  the  Falls,  is  the  Gate  of  the 
Mountains  where  the  river,  reduced  in  width,  is  fenced  in  for  a 
distance  of  six  miles  by  perpendicular  walls  of  rock  1,000  to  1,200 
feet  in  height.  Between  them  the  river  flows  quiet  and  deep, 
forming  a  scene  of  solemn  grandeur  in  striking  contrast  with  that 
presented  by  the  Falls  and  Cascades  below. 

That  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri  will  surpass  in  their  attractions 
those  of  Niagara,  when  access  is  afforded  to  them  by  Railroad, 
will  not  be  assorted.  Th^  two  differ  in  character  each  being  great 
in  its  own  way,  but  the  former,  it  is  not  doubted,  will  like  the  latter 
bei  ranked  among  the  wonders  of  the  world. 

The  country  about  these  Falls,  from  the  number  of  Buffalo,  elk, 
and  other  animals  that  are  sustained  there,  must  have  a  value  as 
an  agricultural  region  which  will  enable  it  to  support  a  population 
fiVifficient  in  number  to  contribute  to  the  maintenance  of  a  town  of 
some  magnitude. 

The  hydraulic  power  of  the  river  which  is  here  so  conveniently 
arranged  for  use,  in  connection  with  the  navigable  character  of  the 
River  both  above  and  below  the  Falls  for  a  long  distance,  must 
contribute  gi'eatly  to  the  early  settlement  of  the  place  and  to  the 
future  improvement  of  all  this  portion  of  the  valley  of  the  Missouri. 


COMPARISON   OF  ROUTES. 


It  has  been  stated,  that  if  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  be  made 
the  terminus  of  the  proposed  Koad  on  the  Pacific,  the  Northern 
route  is  probably  the  best  way  to  reach  it.  The  point  of  diverg- 
ence from  this  route  is  in  the  Clark's  river  valley,  where  that  river 
emerges  from  the  hill  country,  thence  across  the  elevated  prairie 
plain  southerly,  near  to  the  junction  of  the  licwis'  river  with  the 
Columbia,  and  along  tho  Columbia  to  its  mouth. 

The  distance  by  this  line  to  Astoria,  although  greater  than  to 
the  straits  of  De  Fuca,  is  evidently  less,  (as  appears  by  an  inspec- 
tion of  the  map,)  than  by  any  other  line  which  can  be  projected 
from  Chicago  to  tiie  same  point,  and  it  is  also  greatly  superior  in 
other  respects.  If  the  ground  between  the  sources  of  the  Spokane 
river  and  Clark's  river  is  practicable  it  will  aflford  a  shorter  route. 
This,  however,  does  not  seem  to  be  probable,  judging  from  the 
description  of  it  by  Father  De  Smet. 

Mr.  Whitney,  who  has  been  very  active  in  drawing  public  atten- 
tion to  the  important  subject  of  a  Railroad  to  the  Pacific,  after  can- 
vassing various  routes,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  best  to 
approach  the  Pacific  by  the  valley  of  the  Columbia,  and  the  route 
which  he  approves  is  represented  on  his  map  by  a  line  drawn  from 
Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the  Mississippi,  in  Wisconsin,  to  the  valley  of 
White  river  or  White  Earth  river,  west  of  the  Missouri ;  and  thence 
to  the  valley  of  Salmon  river,  and  down  the  latter  and  Ijowis  river 

105 


106 


and  the  Columbia,  leaving  the  Columbia  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Cascade  Range,  and  from  thence  bearing  northerly  to  the  main  ter- 
minus on  Paget  Sound. 

The  objections  to  this  line,  are  the  crossing  of  the  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  at  points  where  both  are  navigable  by  the  larger  class 
of  river  steamers,  and  where  the  expense  will  be  very  considerable. 
The  overcoming  of  the  Wind  river,  or  Black  Mountains,  near  the 
head  of  White  river,  in  reaching  which,  the  line  must  previously 
pass  through  a  very  barren  district  of  some  extent,  known  as  the 
Mauvaise  terres.  The  impossibility  of  maintaining  even  a  tolerably 
direct  course,  from  the  Black  Mountains  to  Salmon  river,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  direction  in  which  the  tributaries  of  the  Yellow 
Stone  and  Missouri  flow,  and  the  number  and  height  of  the  inter- 
vening monntains,  the  high  range  of  the  Bighorn  being  among  the 
most  prominent,  and  tlie  probable  great  expense  of  effecting  a 
descent  along  the  Salmon  river  valley,  judging  from  the  descriptions 
of  it  furnished  by  Lewis  and  Clark,  and  others. 

Added  to  this,  the  line  will  be  longer  undoubtedly,  than  the 
proposed  route  to  De  Fuca ;  a  far  greater  amount  of  rise  and  fall 
must  be  encountered,  and  it  will  cost  much  more  than  the  Northern 
route.  The  country  through  which  it  passes  is  less  valuable  for 
settlement,  and  it  does  not  present  the  very  great  advantage  of  a 
convenient  connection  with  Lake  Superior,  and  with  the  navigable 
portions  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  the  Clark's  river,  and  the  Colum- 
bia, which  is  offered  by  the  Northern  route. 

The  character  of  the  country  through  which  this  route  must  pass, 
aficr  leaving  the  waters  of  White  river,  until  it  reaches  those  of  Co-,' 
liiinbia,  is  very  fully  pourtrayed  by  Mr.  Hunt,  in  Irving's  Astoria. 
Tills  gentleman  passed,  in  1811,  from  the  Shayen  river  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  liittle  Missouri,  thence  across,  and  along  tlie  Black 
Hills,  or  Mountains  on  the  north  or  west  side,  and  across  the  Big- 
horn range  to  Wind  river,  the  main  west  branch  of  the  Bighorn 
river.  From  thence  across  near  Fremont's  Peak,  to  the  Mad  river 
branch  cf  Lewis  river. 

He  describes  the  Black  Mountains  as  an    "extensive  chain. 


107 

stretching  from  the  Nebraska  or  Platte  river,  in  a  northeasterly 
direction,  to  the  groat  north  bend  of  the  Missouri."  They  are 
composed  chiefly  of  "  sandstone,"  and  are  in  many  places  "  broken 
into  savage  cliflfs  and  precipices,"  and  were  crossed  with  great  dif- 
ficulty, near  the  sources  of  the  Little  Missouri.  From  an  elevated 
point  in  this  chain,  he  descried,  at  the  distance  of  150  miles,  "the 
lofty  range  of  the  Bighorn  Mountains,  printing  the  clear  horizon." 

It  is  easy  to  see  from  this  estimate  of  their  distance,  that  tho 
Bighorn  Mountains  mUst  be  very  elevated,  and  this  is  proved  by  tho 
difficulties  which  Mr.  T^unt  encountered  in  passing  them.  After 
reaching  them,  he  pursued  a  southerly  course  along  their  base  for 
several  miles,  searching  for  some  practicable  defile,  but  on  the  3d  of 
September,  finding  that  they  "  still  stretched  onward,  presenting  a 
continual  barrier,"  he  endeavored  to  "  force  a  passage  to  the  west- 
ward, but  soon  became  entangled  in  rocks  and  precipices  which  set 
all  eftbrta  at  defiance."  The  Mountains  "seemed,  for  the  most 
part,  rugged,  bare,  and  sterile,"  covered  by  a  few  scattered  pines. 
Under  the  guidance  of  the  Crow  Indians,  he  at  length  effected  a 
passage  "through  rugged  defiles,  up  and  down  the  crags  and 
steeps  of  the  Mountains." 

From  thence  he  continued  on  westwardly,  over  a  "  rugged  region 
of  hills  and  rocks,"  and  along  the  valley  of  the  Wind  river,  which 
was  "  rough  and  destitute  of  trees,  with  few  signs  of  animal  life," 
passing,  as  above  stated,  across  to  one  of  the  sources  of  Green 
river,  and  thence  to  the  Lewis  river  at  the  mouth  of  Henry's  fork, 
near  the  three  Tetons.  When  upon  the  Wind  river,  he  was  in- 
formed that  by  "following  up  that  river,  and  crossing  a  single 
mountain  range,  he  would  come  upon  the  waters  of  the  Columbia," 
a  tributary,  undoubtedly,  of  Mad  river. 

The  route  next  south  of  that  of  Mr.  Whitney,  which  has  been 
proposed  for  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  is  that  usually 
followed  by  emigrants  to  Oregon,  for  reasons,  principally,  which 
make  it  objectionable  as  a  route  for  a  Railroad,  viz :  the  almost 
total  absence  of  timber  for  nearly  its  whole  extent. 

This  route,  which  is  delineated  on  the  map,  follows  the  valley  of 


108 


the  Platte  river,  thence  through  the  South  Pass,  across  the  head 
waters  of  the  Colorado,  and  the  tributaries  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake ; 
thence  into  the  valleys  of  Lewis  river,  and  the  Columbia  to  the 
Pacific. 

The  objections  to  this  route  are  of  a  character  much  more  serious 
than  to  the  one  last  described.  It  crosses  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri rivers,  particularly  the  latter,  at  lower  and  more  difficult  points. 
The  summit  at  the  South  Pass,  which  is,  according  to  Fremont, 
7,490  feet,  barometric  measurement,  above  the  sea,  is  probably 
higher  than  that  of  Lewis  Pass  by  upwards  of  2,000  feet,  if  the 
latter  has  not  been  underrated.  To  the  west  of  the  South  Pass,  at 
the  crossing  of  Bear  Mountain,  is  another  summit  700  feet  higher, 
and  so  much  higher  than  the  Lewis  Pass  as  to  give  to  it  a  colder 
temperature  in  winter,  notwithstanding  its  more  southern  latitude 
Even  the  South  Pass  has  probably  as  low  a  temperature  in  winter 
as  the  Lewis  Pass,  if  not  lower,  owing  to  its  greater  elevation,  and 
to  its  being  farther  removed  from  the  mild  region  on  the  Pacific. 

In  proceeding  westward  from  Green  river,  in  latitude  42°  N., 
the  valley  of  Lewis  river  may  be  entered  without  crossing  any 
intervening  ridge,  or  ascending  much  from  the  former.  This  route 
leads  through  Pierre's  Hole  in  a  northerly  direction  along  the  val- 
ley of  Mad  river  to  the  mouth  of  Henry's  fork,  thence  southerly 
t'l  Fort  Hall,  etc.  From  the  descriptions  given  of  it  by  Parker, 
and  also  by  Hunt,  it  does  not  appear  to  be  practicable  for  a  Rail- 
road ;  but  were  it  otherwise,  it  would  not  very  materially  change 
the  character  of  this  route  as  compared  with  others. 

The  Lewis  river,  for  much  of  its  distance,  flows  in  a  deep  chasm, 
the  walls  of  basaltic  rock  on  either  side  being  very  high,  rising  in 
one  place,  for  60  miles,  to  from  100 1^  800  feet  Its  valley  is,  for 
the  most  part,  a  sterile  region  of  volcanic  rocks  and  barren  sands, 
almost  destitute  of  vegetation. 

Col.  Fremont  says  that  for  300  miles  to  the  west  of  Fort  Hall 
"  there  does  not  occur  a  fertile  spot  of  ground  sufliciently  large  to 
produce  the  necessary  quantity  of  grain  or  pasturage  enough  to 
allow  even  a  temporary  repose  to  the  emigrants." 


109 


He  states,  that  "  tho  main  river  is  enclosed  with  mnral  precip- 
ices, wliich  form  its  characteristic  feature  along  a  groat  portion  of 
its  course.  A  melancholy  and  strange  looking  country,  one  of 
fracture  and  violence  and  fire." 

Mr.  Hunt,  in  Irving's  Astoria,  describes  this  region  as  a  "  dreary 
desert  of  sand  and  gravel,"  a  "  vast  trackless  plain  destitute  of  all 
means  of  subsistence."  "  Here  and  there  is  a  thin  scanty  herbage, 
insufficient  for  the  pasturage  of  horse  or  buffiilo."  These  "  treeless 
wastes,"  he  continues,  "are  even  more  barren  than  the  naked  upper 
prairies  on  tho  Atlantic  side,  and  must  ever  defy  cultivation." 
Parnham,  when  near  the  Boisse  river,  on  his  way  west,  "  had  not 
seen  an  acre  of  land  since  leaving  Fort  Hall,  capable  of  producing 
the  grains  or  vegetables,"  so  sterile  was  the  face  of  the  country. 

A  Railroad  located  along  this  valley,  instead  of  pursuing  tho 
short  route  followed  by  the  emigrants,  over  the  Blue  mountains, 
which  by  Col.  Fremont's  measurement,  are  5,000  feet  high  in  tho 
lowest  place,  must  follow  tho  circuitous  course  of  the  Lewis  river. 
This,  with  tho  great  deviations  from  a  direct  course  a|  other  points, 
must  obviously  render  the  entire  distance  very  much  greater  than 
by  the  Northern  route. 

This  route,  after  leaving  the  lower  and  only  fertile  portion  of  tho 
valley  of  the  Platte,  passes  through  a  comparatively  barren  and 
impracticable  region  for  nearly  the  entire  distance  to  the  Blue 
Mountains.  Lieuts.  Turner  and  Hunter,  who  traversed  the  Platto 
valley  in  1845,  state  that  from  long.  98^°  W.  to  Fort  Laramie,  "tho 
country  is  barren  and  desolate,  being  without  timber  or  grass, 
except  on  tho  very  banks  of  the  streams,  and  very  little  even  there. 
From  Laramie,  for  some  distance  west,  the  road  runs  over  hills  of 
coarse  gravel."  •  *  «  The  only  grass  is  along  tho  borders  of 
the  streams,  with  very  little  timber  any  where,  except  on  some  of 
the  high  banks,  which  are  perfectly  inaccessible  to  wagons." 

"  The  Sweetwater  is  bounded  <jn  both  sides  by  mountains  of 
granite,  frequently  intersected  by  dykes  of  trap,  not  timbered. 
Distance  between  mountains  on  each  side  20  miles,  but  this  district 
of  country  is  very  barren,  producing  nothing  but  wild  sage."    "  In 


110 


the  Pass  there  is  no  timber,  and  none  in  its  vicinity  except  on  the 
"Wind  river  mountains,  which  are  inaccessible  to  wagons." 

The  cost  of  the  Road  on  this  route  will  be  vastly  greater  than 
upon  the  Northern  route,  owing  to  its  greater  length,  the  absence 
of  timber,  the  general  character  of  the  surface,  and  the  impossibil- 
ity of  approaching  it  at  any  intermediate  points  with  materials  for 
its  construction,  or  with  provisions  for  the  sustenance  of  laborers. 
When  built  it  will  be  more  expensive  to  operate.  It  will  not  pass 
through  a  region  attractive  lo  settlers,  and  will  not,  consequently, 
have  the  amount  of  way  business  to  sustain  it,  which  will  be  real- 
ized upon  the  Northern  route,  and  hke  the  one  last  described,  has 
not  the  advantage  of  a  connection  with  Lake  Superior. 

These  are  the  only  routes  proposed,  and  probably  the  only  ones 
practicable ;  (if  the  tw^o  last  can  be  considered  practicable,)  which 
have  a  terminus  on  the  Pacific  in  either  of  the  teiTitories  of  Oregon 
or  Washington.  The  connection  with  San  Francisco  of  the  South 
Pass  route  continued  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  California  will  be 
attended  with  difficulties,  as  will  be  seen  farther  on,  much  more 
serious  than  those  likely  to  be  met  with  on  a  continuation  of  the 
same  route  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia. 

Before  proceeding  to  consider  the  character  of  the  more  south- 
ern routes  which  lead  to  the  ports  of  San  Francisco  and  San  Diego, 
and  which  more  naturally,  perhaps,  take  their  departure  from  St. 
Louis,  or  some  point  farther  south,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  a  gen- 
eral topographical  view  of  the  country  between  the  Mississippi  and 
the  Pacific,  in  that  direction. 

Between  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers  on  the  one  side,  and 
the  eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  other,  lies  a  vast 
plain,  inclined  at  such  an  angle  as  to  give  to  its  northwestern  edge 
or  border,  where  it  meets  the  mountains,  an  elevation  of  5,000  feet, 
and  upwards,  above  the  sea,  and  its  southwestern  edge  towards 
the  Mexican  boundary,  about  4,000  feet  above  the  same  level. 

The  surface  of  this  plain,  as  a  whole,  is  not  enough  varied  to 
givo  to  it  the  character  of  being  diversified  with  hills  and  valleys 
of  any  very  great  lieiglit  or  depth.     It  has  what  it;  terincd,  a  rolling 


Ill 


or  undulating  surface,  a  character  which  is  only  interrupted  by 
the  many  broad  and  doop  ravines,  through  which  flow  the  numer- 
ous tributaries  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Missouri,  which  have 
tiieir  source  in  the  mountains,  and  which  from  their  great  descent, 
amounting  to  from  four  to  seven  feet  per  mile,  flow  with  great 
l-apidity,  and  are,  in  consequence,  so  obstructed  with  bars  and 
fehoals,  as  to  be  unsuited  for  navigation ;  and  from  the  character  of 
their  channels,  can  probably  never  bo  improved  for  that  purpose, 
except  at  a  cost  not  justified  by  any  resulting  benefit 

The  eastern  portion  of  this  great  plain,  which  is  from  two  hun- 
dred to  three  hundred  miles  in  breadth,  is  very  fertile,  is  tolerably 
well  supplied  with  timber,  and  is  capable  of  affording  sustenance 
to  a  very  large  population. 

The  western  portion  becomes  less  and  less  fertile  as  it  approaches 
the  mountains,  where,  from  its  great  elevation,  and  other  causes,  it 
presents  so  barren  and  sterile  an  aspect,  as  to  have  received  the 
name  of  the  Americaji  Desert.  This  portion  is  almost  wholly  des- 
titute of  timber,  and  in  many  places,  is  destitute  of  water,  except 
what  is  furnished  by  the  larger  streams  which  flow  from  the  moun- 
tains. So  bare  of  timber  is  this  portion,  that  in  the  valley  of  the 
Platte,  for  four  hundred  miles,  it  is,  from  the  authorities  quoted 
above,  almost  entirely  wanting,  a  peculiarity  not  confined  to  that 
river,  but  is  said  to  be  common  to  all ;  and  even  when  they  lose 
this  character  and  are  fringed  with  trees,  as  is  occasionally  the  ciise, 
the  latter  are  found  to  consist  mainly  of  the  cottouwood,  {popuius 
canadensis,)  which  affords  an  inferior  timber,  and  is  but  poorly,  if  ;.t 
all,  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  Railroad  construction. 

The  Rocky  Mountains,  south  of  Fremont's  Peak  to  the  ^tcxicaii 
boundary,  may  be  said  to  consist  of  two  ranges,  between  whicii 
flow  the  waters  of  the  Colorado,  which  discharges  into  the  Gulf  o{ 
California.  The  eastern  or  main  range  on  reaching  the  lat.  of  30'-' 
N.  nearly,  is  accompanied  in  its  course  south  by  another  parallel 
range,  at  no  great  distance  from  it  on  the  east,  and  between  the 
two  lies  the  narrow  valley  drained  by  the  Kio  (irande,  (or  Bravo,) 
Del  Norte,  which,  after  forming  for  some  distance  tlni  bouri-JMy 


112 

between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  discharges  into  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico. 

These  mountains  are  strictly  what  their  name  denotes,  viz: 
Rocky.  They  are  very  sparsely  covered  with  timber,  irregular  in 
form,  and  unequal  in  elevation,  rising  to  a  height  from  10,000  to 
12,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the- sea,  with  occasional  peaks  that 
rise  to  a  still  greater  height,  and  which  are  covered  with  perpetual 
Bnow. 

The  valley  of  the  Eio  Grande  Del  Norte  is  elevated  at  its  north- 
ern extremity  about  8,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  at 
Uie  point  where  it  emerges  from  the  eastern  range  of  mountains 
at  El  Paso,  its  elevation  is  3,812  feet.  The  descent  of  its  valley 
from  lat  35*  N.  to  El  Paso  varie.-;  i'roiu  ;>  to  7  feet  per  mile;  the 
river  is,  consequently,  not  navigable  The  valley  is  narrow  and  has 
within  it  many  fertile  spots,  and  contains  a  Spanish  and  Indian 
population  of  several  thousand. 

The  valley  of  the  Colorado  has  a  descent  to  the  south,  even 
greater  than  that  of  the  Rio  Grande  Del  Norte.  Although  nar- 
row at  first  it  widens  as  it  proceeds  south,  until  it  occupies  most  of 
the  space  between  the  main  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the 
Pacific. 

At  its  source,  in  lat.  43°  N.,  its  elevation  above  the  sea  is  up- 
wards of  7,000  feet.  Col.  Emory  informs  uf.  r^at  "  there  is  little 
doubt  of  its  being  always  navigable  for  stonrr^,;  r  5  up  to  within  3 
or  4  miles  of  tho  mouth  of  the  Gila,  where  it  is  60 C  f  vit  wide."  He 
was  also  informed  that  it  was  probably  to  a  great  extent  susceptible 
of  navigation  to  a  point  seven  days  travel  up  from  tho  junction, 
which  would  bring  it  within  two  or  three  h\mdred  feet  of  tho  level 
of  the  sea  in  lat.  34®  N.  This  gives  to  the  valley  above,  an  inclina- 
tion on  tho  average,  of  nearly  ton  feet  in  the  mile ;  and  an  elevation, 
probably,  between  the  lati...uOS  of  38«*  aro  :^9o  N.,  of  about  3,000 
feet.  Its  eastern  and  western  borders  in  it  latitude,  have  an  ele- 
vation of  about  5,000  feet. 

The  mountains  which  bound  it  on  the  west,  like  those  on  the 
east,  are  high  in  places,  but  tho  chain  appears  to  be  more  broken. 


113 


They  skirt  the  Great  Salt  Lake  on  the  east,  and  are  there  know  as 
the  Wausatch  range.  From  a  point  near  the  Vegas  of  Santa 
Clara,  in  lat  38®  N,,  they  pursue  a  westerly  course  until  they  strike 
the  high  range  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  in  California.  This  latter 
then  forms  the  western  boundary  of  tlie  Colorado  Basin,  being  the 
only  range  between  it  and  the  Pacific,  and  can  be  passed  near  San 
Diego  at  an  elevation,  according  to  Col.  Emory,  of  3,000  feet. 

West  of  the  Colorado  valley,  and  east  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  and  south  of  the  mountains  which  form  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  valley  of  Lewis  river,  is  a  wide  space  known  as 
the  "  Groat  Basin,"  its  surface  elevated,  as  appears  by  the  measure- 
ment of  Col.  Fremont,  from  4,000  to  5,000  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  lowest  Passes  in  the  Nevada  Mountains  have  an  elevation 
nearly  twice  as  great  as  the  interior  of  the  basin,  and  the  higher 
portions  rival  those  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  height,  their  sum- 
mits being,  at  all  seasons,  white  with  perpetual  snow. 

Between  these  mountains  and  the  sea,  north  of  lat.  34,  is  another 
parallel  range  of  mountains,  which  are  high,  and  known  as  the 
Coast  Range.  Between  the  two  lie  the  valleys  of  the  San  Joaquin 
and  Sacramento  rivers,  the  former  descending  to  the  north,  and  the 
latter  to  the  south  ;  their  waters  meeting  in  the  Bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, which  opens  to  the  sea  by  a  passage  through  the  Coast 
Range,  presenting  a  strait  of  ample  dhnensions,  easy  of  access,  and 
a  sufficient  depth  of  water  in  the  Bay,  in  most  places,  for  the 
purposes  of  ocean  navigation. 

The  Nevada  Mountains,  on  both  of  their  slopes,  are  covered 
with  a  dense  forest  which  extends  in  places  on  the  west  side,  on  to 
the  plains  below. 

The  Coast  Range  south  of  San  Francisco  is  thinly  clothed 
with  timber.  The  valley  between  this  and  tl'.c-  Bierra  Nevada  is 
fertile  and  productive  wherever  the  ground  can  be  irrigated,  a 
niethod  of  culture  which  is  necessary,  owing  to  the  almost  total 
absence  of  rain  in  summer. 

Fortunately  in  the  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin,  the  streams  are 
8 


114 


numerous,  and  on  the  side  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  are  said  to  bo 
ample  for  the  purpose. 

East  of  the  Nevada  the  "  Great  Basin,"  is  characterized  by  i(s 
sandy  and  barren  plains  ;  by  the  number  and  rugged  character  of 
the  mountains  that  are  scattered  over  its  svu'face ;  by  its  destitution 
of  timber ;  by  the  fewness  of  its  fresh  water  springs  and  streams  ; 
by  its  containing  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  many  minor  lakes,  some 
Halt,  and  some  otherwise,  the  most  of  which  have  no  apparent  con- 
nection with  each  other,  and  none  with  the  sea ;  a  region  whore  tli6 
rains  are  limited  and  the  evaporation  so  great  as  to  drink  up  all  the 
moisture,  leaving  but  little  for  the  sustenance  of  plants  or  animals. 

To  this  description,  the  country  near  the  Grciit  Salt  Lake,  where 
t'lo  Mormons  are  located,  is  somewhat  of  an  exception.  In  this 
section  there  are  some  fertile  strips  of  land  in  the  valleys,  which,  if 
not  naturally  productive,  are  made  so  by  the  somewhat  expensive 
process  of  irrigation.  Aside  from  this,  the  whole  of  the  Great 
Basin  is  a  dreary  and  probably  irreclaimable  desert,  supporting  but 
f  !w  animals,  and  a  few  miserable  specimens  of  humanity,  the  most 
abject  of  the  Indian  race  to  be  found  anywhere  in  North  Amori;'{i. 

Thornton,  who  passed  through  a  portion  of  this  barren  waste, 
speaks  of  the  "  destitution  of  moisture,"  describes  its  "  sterility  and 
dreariness  as  fearful,  as  though  a  strange  curse  were  broodmg 
over  the  whole  scene."  "  A  country  which  has  nothing  of  a  re- 
deeming character."  "  It  was  enlivened  by  the  murmiu'  of  no 
streams,  but  was  a  wide  waste  of  desolation  where  even  the  winds 
had  died." 

Col.  Fremont,  when  struggling  through  the  deep  snows  of  win- 
ter on  its  western  border,  under  the  Nevada  Mountains,  was 
informed  by  a  Christian  Indian  that  "  the  country  directly  across 
to  tiio  Great  Salt  Lake  had  repulsed,  by  its  sterility,  all  attempts 
to  penetrate  it  "  When  traversing,  subsequent!}''  its  eastern  limits 
lie  states  tiiat  "  fertility  of  soil  and  vegetation  does  not  extend  far 
into  the  Great.  lJ;isin,"  that  it  is  "  called  a  desert,  and  from  what 
ho  saw  of  it,  sterility  may  be  its  prominent  characteristic."  "  Hu- 
manity there  a^ipcars  in  its  lowest  forni,''  subsisting  on  "  seeds, 


115 

insects  and  roots."  "  The  rabbit  is  the  largest  animal,"  and,  "  the 
wild  sage  the  only  fuel  and  timber,  and  the  only  covering  often  for 
the  feet  and  legs  in  cold  weather." 

Bryant,  who  passed  centrally  through  this  region,  from  the 
Great  Salt  Tialco,  by  the  way  of  Humboldt  or  Mary's  river,  to  Cal- 
ifornia, thus  speaks  of  it : 

"  A  fine  wjiite  sand,  impalpable  almost  as  ashes  mingled  with 
which  is  a  scorious  gravel,  in  some  places  soft  and  yielding  to  the 
hoofs  of  our  mules,  in  others  baked  and  compact  almost  to  the 
hardness  of  brick,  are  the  leading  characteristics  of  the  soil,  if  soil 
it  can  be  called."  When  at  the  distance  of  ninety  miles  the  scene 
is  represented  as  one  of  "  dismal  and  oppressive  solitude,"  "  no 
voice  of  animal,  no  hum  of  insect  disturbing  the  tomb-like  solem- 
nity. All  was  silence  and  death.  Like  the  other  elements  sus- 
taining animal  and  vegetable  life,  the  winds  seemed  stagnant  and 
paralyzed  by  the  vmivcrsal  dearth  around."  A  vast  plain  of  70  to 
80  miles  in  width,  which  they  were  compelled  to  cross,  was  "  ut- 
terly destitute  of  water  and  of  vegetables,  or  any  sign  that  shrub 
or  plant  had  ever  existed  above  its  snow-like  surface."  In  other 
places,  wild  sage,  grease  wood,  and  a  few  shrubs  of  smaller  size, 
for  the  most  part  leafless,  "  were  the  only  vegetations,  except  at 
long  intervals  a  little  grass,  these  mostly  dry,  and  this  only  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  few  springs  to  be  met  with,  whose  water 
was  often  too  brackish  for  use."  At  the  distance  of  two  hundred 
miles,  after  taking  an  extensive  view  from  the  summit  of  a  moun- 
tain, he  states  "  that  no  words  can  describe  the  awfiilnoss  and 
grandeur  of  this  subHme  desolation."  At  about  three  hundred 
and  thirty  miles  there  appeared  "  little  or  no  variation  in  the  gen- 
(U'al  characitor  of  the  country  and  its  productions."  At  450  miles 
no  improvement.  The  nearest  mountains  present  the  same  rugged 
and  barren  aspect. 

At  575  miles  he  states  that  "every  thing  around  is  sufficiently 
cheerless  and  desolate  to  depress  the  most  buoyant  temperament. 
The  sable  and  utterly  sterile  mountains,  the  barren  and  wild  plains, 
incapable  of  sustaining  either  insect  or  animal,  present  a  dreari' 


116 


ness  of  Bcenery  that  would  be  almost  overpowering  in  its  influ- 
ences, but  for  the  hope  of  more  pleasing  scenes  beyond." 

This  entire  region  is  supposed  at  no  very  remote  period  to  have 
been  under  the  influence  of  volcanic  fires,  and  such  doubtless  is 
the  conclusion  wliieh  tlie  general  character  of  the  surface  would 
seem  to  justify.  13  ut  it  should  be  remembered  that  time  can  effect 
but  very  slight  changes  in  the  surface  of  a  country  in  the  absence 
of  rain  or  moisture,  and  that  this  element  appears  to  have  been 
almost  entirely  wanting  in  the  region  in  question ;  and  this  is  one 
reason  probably  in  common  with  the  milder  climate,  why  the 
entire  country  from  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  to 
the  Nevada  Mountains  exhibits  indications  of  volcanic  action  of  a 
date  apparently  more  recent  than  is  observed  in  those  sections 
where  the  rains  are  frequent,  and  the  cold  and  the  frosts  at  times 
severe. 

The  change  in  the  face  of  nature  which  in  another  climate  would 
be  efiected  in  a  short  period,  would  here  take  years  to  accomplish, 
owing  to  the  almost  entire  absence  of  the  causes  by  which  such 
changes  are  produced. 

The  region  lying  south  of  the  Great  Basin  and  west  of  the  Col- 
orado, extending  to  the  Nevada  Mountains,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
San  Diego,  approaching  near  to  the  Pacific,  is  loss  mountainous 
but  equally  barren  and  sterile.  Colonel  Emory,  who  was  one  of 
the  gallant  band  who  accompanied  Gen.  Kearney  in  his  march  to 
California  and  whoso  attention  to  the  physical  characteristics  of  the 
country,  and  care  and  perseverance  in  determining  the  astronom- 
ical positions,  and  elevations  of  numerous  points  on  the  route, 
(under  the  privations  of  a  forced  march  through  a  hostile  and  most 
inhospitable  region,)  is  worthy  of  remark  and  commendation,  says, 
after  reaching  the  mountains  west  of  the  Colorado,  that  the  "desert 
over  which  we  had  passed  from  water  to  water,  is  an  immense  tri- 
angular plain,  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  Colorado,  on  the  west 
by  the  Cordilleras  of  California,  on  the  south  by  the  Tecati  chain 
of  mountains  and  the  Colorado  mountains."  On  the  north  its 
boundaries  are  undefined  but  he  supponcs  "  from  accounts  of  trap- 


117 


pers  and  others  who  have  attempted  the  passage  from  California 
to  the  Gila  by  a  more  northern  route,  that  it  extends  many  days 
travel  beyond  the  chain  of  barren  mountains  which  bound  the  hor- 
izon in  that  direction  " 

This  desert,  he  states,  is  "  chiefly  covered  with  floating  sand,  the 
surface  of  which  in  many  places  is  white  with  diminutive  spinelas 
and  every  where,  over  the  whole  surface,  is  found  the  large  and 
soft  muscle  shell." 

The  valley  of  the  Gila  for  at  least  one  hundred  miles  east  of  the 
Colorado  appears  to  be  of  a  similar  character.  Ho  says  that 
**  wherever  wo  mounted  to  the  table  lands  to  cut  off  a  bend  of  the 
river,  we  found  them  dreary  beyond  description,  covered  with 
black  basalt,  with  a  few  intervals  of  dwarf  growth  of  Larrea. 
Now  and  then  a  single  acacia  raised  its  solitary  form  and  dis- 
played its  verdure  in  the  black  expanse."  Again  "  the  ground  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach  is  strewed  with  black  shining  well  rounded 
pebbles.  The  Larrea  even  was  scarcely  seen,  and  dreariness 
seemed  to  mantle  the  earth.  The  dust  rose  in  volumes  as  the 
party  advanced."  "The  hills  and  mountains  appeared  entirely 
destitute  of  vegetation."  As  they  approached  the  Colorado,  the 
table  lands  and  plains  were  almost  entirely  of  sand."  "  Sand  hills 
flank  both  sides  of  the  Gila  formed  by  sand  brought  down  by 
the  winds  from  the  valley  of  the  Colorado,"  "  the  course  of  the 
Colorado  was  tracked  by  clouds  of  flying  sand."  "West  of  this 
great  sand  plain,  in  the  mountains  near  San  Diego,  the  country  is 
alike  destitute  of  vegetalion.  When  in  the  midst  of  the  mountains 
he  states  that  "  barrenness  and  desolation  still  hold  their  reign," 
and  that  the  "  barren  waste"  extends  to  the  very  shores  of  the 
Pacific.  , 

Col.  Fremont  who  traversed  this  region  from  Walker's  Pass  in 
the  Nevada  Mountains  to  the  Vegas  of  Santa  Clara,  five  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  also  describes  it  as  being  "  little  better  than  a  sandy 
desert,  a  region  of  loose,  heavy  sands,"  "  hot  and  yellow,"  in  which 
the  traveller  "  suffers  from  an  intolerable  thirst ;  "  "  where  the 
heated  air  seems  to  be  entirely  deprived  of  moisture."    "  A  des- 


i 


118 

olate  and  revolting  country,  where  lizards  were  the  only  animals, 
and  the  tracks  of  the  lizard  eaters  the  principal  signs  of  human 
beings."  Other  authorities  concur  in  giving  to  this  portion  of  the 
valley  of  the  Colorado  a  similar  character.  This  whole  region  in 
fiict,  including  the  Great  Basin,  being  nearly  or  quite  destitute  oi 
water,  is  irreclaimable  even  by  irrigation  and  must  forever  remain, 
probably,  the  Sahara  of  North  America. 

The  vast  region  lying  to  the  east  of  the  Great  Basin  and  the 
southern  part  of  the  Colorado,  including  the  Eocky  Mountains 
and  what  has  heretofore  been  designated  on  the  Maps  as  the 
"American  Desert,"  on  their  eastern  slope,  although  not  presenting 
so  melancholy  and  forbidding  an  aspect  as  the  portion  west  of  the 
Colorado,  is  still  in  a  great  measure  a  barren  waste,  made  up  of 
sterile  plains,  and  mountains  of  almost  naked  rock. 

Col.  Emory  whose  route  w^as  by  the  way  of  Bents  Fort  and 
Sfgita  Fe,  thence  down  the  valley  of  the  Del  Norte  and  across  to 
that  of  the  Gila,  states  that  "  the  country  from  the  Arkansas  to 
this  point  (junction  of  the  Gila  with  the  Colorado)  more  than  twelve 
hundred  miles,  in  its  adaptation  to  agriculture  has  peculiarities 
which  must  forever  stamp  itself  upon  the  population  which  inhabits 
it,"  "  In  no  part  of  this  tract  of  land  can  the  rains  of  heaven  bo 
relied  upon  to  any  extent  for  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  The 
earth  is  destitute  of  trees,  and  in  great  part  also  of  any  vegetation 
whatever." 

"A  few  feeble  streams  flow  in  different  directions  from  the  great 
mountains,  which  in  many  places  traverse  this  region.  These 
streams  are  separated,  sometimes  by  plains  and  sometimes  by 
mountains,  without  water,  and  without  vegetation,  and  may  be 
called  deserts,  so  far  as  they  perform  any  useful  part  in  the  suste- 
nance of  human  life.  The  cultivation  of  the  earth  is  therefore 
confined  to  those  narrow  strips  of  land  which  are  within  the  level 
of  the  waters  of  the  streams,  and  wherever  practised  in  a  commu- 
nity with  any  success,  or  to  any  extent,  involves  a  degree  of  subor- 
dination and  absolute  obedience  to  a  chief,  repugnant  to  the  habits 
of  our  people." 


119 


The  region  thus  described  is  applicable  not  merely  to  the  portion 
passed  over,  but  to  the  whole  of  New  Mexico.  The  Provinci'  ^.f 
Chihuu-hua  in  Mexico,  and  California  as  far  north  us  the  Sacni- 
niento,  all  of  whieh,  he  states,  are,  as  fur  as  the  best  iiiforrnntion 
goes,  "  the  same  in  the  physical  character  of  their  surface,  ami 
differ  but  little  in  climate  or  products."  In  this  do.scri[>tion  niuy 
probably  also  be  included  the  Mexican  Proviucc  of  Sonora. 

Col.  Emory  "  made  numy  inquiries  as  to  the  character  of  tlu; 
vast  region  of  country  embraced  in  the  ti-iangle  formeil  by  the 
Colorado  of  the  West,  the  Del  Norte  and  the  Gila  "  From  all  that 
he  could  learn,  this  coujitry  "  does  not  differ  materially  in  xtn  phys- 
ical character  from  New  Mexico,  except  perhaps  being  less  denuded 
of  soil  and  vegetation.  The  sources  of  the  Salinas,  the  San  Fran- 
cisco, Ariel,  San  Carlos,  and  Prieto,  tributaries  of  the  Gila  take 
tljeir  rise  in  it.  About  their  head  waters  and  occasionally  along 
their  courses  are  presented  sections  of  land  capable  of  irrigation." 
"  The  whole  extent,  except  on  the  margins  of  the  streams  is  said  to 
be  destitute  of  forest  trees." 

Farnhara  who  crossed  the  upper  portion  of  the  Colorado  valley 
from  St.  Vrains  Fort  to  Salt  Lake  describes  it  as  a  "  desert  of  arid 
plains  and  minor  mountains,"  the  "great  grave  of  vegetation." 
The  face  of  the  country,  even  in  the  valley  of  Green  river  is  a  "dry, 
barren  and  undulating  plain."  He  could  find  nothing  in  nature 
from  which  to  derive  a  pulse  of  pleasure,  nothing  "  save  the  vast- 
ness  of  desolate  wastes,  the  tombs  of  the  washings  of  the  floods  !  " 
The  course  of  the  Grand  river,  to  the  point  where  he  crossed  it, 
was  nearly  due  west.  From  thence,  according  to  Kelly,  a  man  who 
was  famiUar  with  its  course  and  that  of  the  Colorado,  it  "  con- 
tinued in  a  west  by  north  course  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
where  it  breaks  through  the  Anahuac  ridge."  The  cliffs  at  this 
point  on  both  sides  are  "  several  hundred  feet  high  and  overhang- 
ing ;  within  them  is  a  series  of  cascades  which  roar  like  Niagara, 
when  the  river  is  swelled  by  the  freshets  of  June." 

After  passing  this  point  it  moves  with  a  "  dashing,  foaming  cur- 
rent" to  where  it  meets  with  Green  river  and  forms  the  Colorado, 


120 


of  the  West  "  From  the  junction  of  these  branches,  the  Color- 
ado has  a  general  course  from  the  north  east  to  the  south  west,  of 
seven  hundred  miles  to  the  Gulf  of  California.  Four  hundred  of 
tliis  seven  hundred  miles  is  aa  almost  unbroken  chasm  with  per 
peridicular  sides,  hundreds  of  feet  in  height,  at  the  bottom  of  which 
the  waters  rush  in  continuous  cascades."  "  The  country  on  each 
side  of  its  whole  course  is  a  rolling  desert  of  brown,  loose  earth 
on  which  the  rains  and  dews  never  ftill  " 

This  description,  he  says,  was  confirmed  by  many  persons  at 
Fort  David  Crocket,  and  it  sustains  fully  the  general  description 
by  Col  Emory. 

It  is  also  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Lyman,  who  trav- 
elled in  1841  from  Santa  Fe  to  Upper  California.  For  the  first  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the  Rio  San  Juan,  the  pasturage  and 
water  were  both  good  upon  the  mountain  sides  and  valleys.  After 
crossing  the  San  Juan  in  about  lat.  38''  N.,  and  continuing  along 
the  Grand  to  the  Green  river  tributaries  of  the  Colorado,  he  statda, 
that  **  the  country  becomes  genei-ally  sterile  and  broken  in  every 
direction  by  deep  ravines  with  perpendicular  banks,  opposing 
almost  insurmountable  obstacles  to  the  traveller's  progress,  com- 
pelling him  to  search  many  days  before  he  can  find  a  feasiblo  pas- 
sage." 

He  states  that  the  water  in  nearly  every  instance  west  of  the 
Colorado  to  the  California  mountains,  a  distance  of  seven  hundred 
to  eight  hundred  miles,  "  is  either  very  brackish  and  slimy  or  so 
excessively  saline  as  to  have,  in  many  instances,  a  fatal  efiect  on 
animals  and  men."  In  some  few  instances  good  water  was  found. 
Sometimes  the  vast  barren  plains  were  destitute  of  any  water,  hav- 
ing hardly  a  blade  of  grass,  on  a  square  mile  of  surfiice  !  Occasion- 
ally wild  sage  was  found  and  this  and  the  stems  of  equally  naked 
bushes,  were  the  only  food  for  animals.  Occasionally,  also,  a  few 
diminutive  "  canes  "  and  sand  grass  were  found  in  the  dry  beds  of 
rivers.  "  Over  these  dreadful  wastes,  scathed  of  God,  was  scat- ' 
tercd  the  wild  squash  which  only  served  to  tantalize  the  perishing 
traveller  with  the  remembrance  of  fruitful  fields  and  pleasant 
homes." 


121 


In  journeying  down  the  Colorado  the  traveller  "  comes  to  a  spot 
called  Santa  Clara  where  a  little  herbage  and  water  are  found. 
Near  this  point  the  banks  rise  and  the  river  is  buried  deep  in  roar- 
ing chasms.  The  traveller  ascends,  therefore,  to  a  point  called  tho 
Salt  mountain  and  thence  descends  to  Las  Vegas  where  there  are 
about  one  hundred  acres  of  salt  grass.  There  a  desolate  plain 
commences  and  extends  about  one  hundred  miles,  partially  cov- 
ered with  loose  sand  piled  into  ridges,  curiously  waved  over  tho 
general  surface  and  in  the  ravines,  whirled  by  the  winds  into  u 
great  variety  of  fantastic  forms.  These  ravines  are  very  numer- 
ous and  deep,  very  difficult  to  ascend  and  descend ;  parched  cav- 
erns into  which  the  drifting  sands  are  driven  by  the  heated  winds. 
On  all  this  plain  there  is  no  vegetation  except  a  little  salt  grass  on 
the  margin  of  a  few  stagnant  pools  of  brackish  and  sulpurous 
waters."  From  thence  to  the  California  mountains  the  soil  was 
quite  hard,  the  water  continued  the  same  and  the  whole  face  of 
the  country  equally  devoid  of  vegetation. 

Such  being  the  general  character  of  the  country,  the  capacity  of 
the  several  streams  for  supplying  the  means  for  irj'igation,  becomes 
an  important  element  in  estiinatiug  the  population  which  can  bo 
sustained  within  its  limits. 

Col.  Emory  measured  the  Del  Norte  at  Tomi,  lat  36"  48'  N. 
and  found  it  thirty  yards  wide  only  at  the  surface,  and  averaging 
less  than  two  feet  in  depth.  This  was  its  entire  section  on  the 
first  of  October,  except  two  zequias  or  channels  for  irrigation  of  9 
by  2  feet  each,  at  a  place  distant  three  hundred  miles  in  a  direct 
line  from  its  source !  At  the  Pimos  village,  the  waters  of  tho 
Gila,  over  three  hundred  miles  from  its  source,  were  entirely  ab- 
stracted from  their  bed  by  the  zequias  formed  for  irrigation !  The 
great  Colorado  of  the  West,  at  the  place  where  it  was  forded  by 
Gen.  Kearney  below  the  mouth  of  the  Gila  was  only  1500  feet  wide 
on  the  25th  of  November.  Its  greatest  depth  in  the  channel  was 
only  four  feet,  and  it  flowed  at  the  very  moderate  rate  of  li  miles 
per  hour ! 

Altogether  equal  to  a  volume  of  water  two  hundred  feet  wide, 


122 


and  20  feet  deep  running  at  the  slow  rate  of  one  and  a  half  miles 
jier  hour,  for  the  drainage  of  80,000  square  miles  of  surface ;  leas 
probably  than  one-sevetUicth  part  of  the  drainage  from  the  same 
extent  of  surface  ou  tlie  slopes  of  the  AUeghanies  between  the  same 
latitudes. 

To  what  degree  this  amount,  small  as  it  is,  would  be  reduced  by 
tlie  increased  evaporation  and  absorption  consequent  upon  the 
diversion  of  tlie  watei"8  of  the  main  rivers  and  their  tributaries  to 
uny  very  considerable  extent  for  irrigation,  will  be  left  to  others  to 
estimate.  It  will  be  found,  doubtless,  that  the  population  which 
can  be  sustained,  will  not  depend  solely  upon  the  extent  of  surface 
which  is  "  within  the  level  of  the  waters  of  the  streams,"  but  will 
be  governed  also  by  tlic  quantity  of  water  which  the  streams  are 
able  to  furnish. 

Whatever  portion  of  the  surfa  ^  can  thus  be  rendered  available, 
and  it  must  be  very  limited,  it  v  certain  that  the  more  desira- 

ble and  accessible  regions  to  the  north  will  be  first  occupied,  and 
that  they  will  contain  and  support  a  population  manifold  greater 
on  a  given  surface,  whose  pursuits  will  be  of  a  character  to  con- 
tribute in  a  much  gi'eatcr  degree  to  the  support  of  expensive 
niijuns  of  intor-communicalion. 

In  respect  to  the  several  routes  proposed  for  a  Bailroad  to  the 
I'iuiific,  through  the  region  of  country  imder  consideration,  it  will 
be  seen  from  what  has  been  stated  above,  that  the  Sierra  Nevada 
^Mountains  constitute  a  much  more  formidable  obstacle  to  the  pro- 
posed Road  than  do  the  Rocky  Mountains  proper. 

They  rise  to  a  very  great  height,  from  4,000  to  11,000  feet  above 
tlie  level  of  the  "  Great  Basin,"  or  10,000  to  i5,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  Col.  Fremont,  who  effected  a  passage  across 
them  in  the  winter  of  1845,  found  the  elevation  of  the  Pass,  at  the 
source  of  the  American  river,  a  branch  of  the  Sacramento,  to  be 
9,338  feet. 

Such  is  the  nearness  of  this  elevated  Range  to  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco,  and  such  also  its  height,  as  to  discourage  the  idea  of 
overcoming  it  by  any  direct  route  for  a  Eailroad,  to  say  nothing  of 


123 


the  repulsive  and  impracticable  character  of  the  Great  Ba»in, 
which  must  be  crossed  by  a  line  thus  located,  and  consequently, 
attention  has  very  properly  been  directed  to  two  Passes  near  tiio 
southern  extremity  of  the  range  which  lead  from  the  valley,  occu- 
pied by  the  Tulare  Lake  and  its  tributaries,  (which  is  distinct  from 
the  San  Joaquin,)  to  the  valley  of  the  Colorado,  known  at*  tlio 
Walker  and  Tejon  Passes. 

These  Passes  are  about  60  miles  distant  from  each  other,  and 
are  reached  from  San  Francisco  by  a  route  leading  at  first  south- 
erly to  the  south  point  of  an  arm  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  wliicli 
juts  down  in  that  direction.  Thence  northwardly  around  the 
north  side  and  near  the  base  of  Mount  Diabolo,  a  point  in  tlio 
Coast  Eange,  3,750  feet  high.  Thence  turning  southerly  and 
rising  from  the  level  of  the  Bay,  passing  up  the  valley  of  tlie  San 
Joarniin,  and  through  that  of  the  Tulare  Lake,  to  the  summit  at 
one  of  the  Passes  which  separate  the  waters  of  the  latter  lake  from 
those  which  flow  towards  the  Colorado. 

Of  the  two  Passes  named.  Walker's  is  the  most  northerly,  and 
is  situated,  according  to  Fremont,  in  lat.  35®  17'  N.  and  long.  118'' 
35'  W.,  and  has  an  elevation,  probably,  of  about  5,000  feet  above 
the  sea. 

It  is  distant  from  San  Francisco,  by  the  route  described,  not 
less  than  360  miles,  and  is  only  seventy  miles  in  a  direct  line  from 
the  shore  of  the  Pacific. 

From  this  Pass  three  distinct  routes  to  the  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi have  been  proposed. 

One  of  these,  advocated  especially  by  the  St.  Louis  interest, 
proceeds  from  Walker's  Pass  northeasterly  to  the  Vegas  de  Santa 
Clara,  on  the  Rio  Virgen.  Thence  easterly  to  the  Colorado. 
Thence  up  the  Grand  river  branch  of  the  Colorado,  and  across  by 
what  is  called,  the  Cochatope  Pass,  in  the  mountain  range  between 
the  Colorado  and  Del  Norte,  to  near  Fort  Massachusetts,  situated 
in  the  Del  Norte  valley,  near  the  latitude  of  38°  North.  Thence 
passing  by  Bent's  Fort  on  the  Arkansas  river,  to  the  Smoky  Hill 
Fork  of  the  Kanzas  river,  and  down  the  valley  of  the  latter,  acrots 


124 

the  State  of  Missouri  to  St  Louis,  a  distance  from  San  Francisco 
of  2,160  miles,  estimated  as  follows  : 

From  San  Francisco  to  Walker's  Pass,        -     360  miles. 

From  Walker's  Pass  to  St.  Louis,  direct  line,  1,582    " 

Add  to  latter  for  deviations  from  direct  line 
12  per  cent,  same  as  allowed  on  the  north- 
ern route,       ..-.-.        188    " 

Total, 2,130    "      , 

From  the  best  information  to  be  obtained,  it  is  highly  probable 
that  Walker's  Pass  is  impracticable,  and  that  the  line  must  be  car- 
ried to  the  Tejon  Pass,  farther  south  and  west,  which  is  said  to  be 
lower,  and  which,  although  not  altogether  free  from  difficulties,  is 
much  the  most  favorable  of  the  two.  This  will  lengthen  the  line, 
probably,  eighty  miles,  making  the  entire  distance  2,210  miles,  or 
say  2,160  miles,  assuming,  what  is  not  very  probable,  that  the  line 
may  be  shortened  50  miles  by  crossing  the  Coast  Range  south  of 
Mount  Diabolo.  This  estimate  makes  this  line  to  St.  Louis  200 
miles  longer  than  the  line  from  Chicago  to  De  Fuca,  and  560  miles 
longer  than  from  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior  to  De  Fuca. 

The  second  route  refered  to,  leads  eastward  from  the  Tejon  or 
Walker's  Pass,  across  the  valley  of  the  Colorado,  near  the  latitude 
of  35°  N.,  to  that  of  the  Eio  Grande  Del  Norte,  crossing  the  lat- 
ter a  little  south  of  Santa  Fe,  near  Albuquerque  or  Per  Alta. 
Thence  on  to  the  valley  of  the  Canadian  river,  and  terminating  on 
the  Mississippi  at  some  point  south  of,  and  not  far  from,  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio.  r  •  ,  , 

This  is  very  nearly  the  route  proposed  in  the  Bill  of  Senator 
Gwynn,  which  was  before  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  at  its 
last  session.  \.   .i,_    -,•  ;'■■.>.    :    '    ;  ■ "  r  ■  ,n  ,,m» -i.-.,;' „"!' 

That  route  as  delineated  on  the  map  accompanying  the  Bill,  had 
four  termini  on  the  Mississippi  and  one  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  in 
Texas,  with  r^n  extension  at  the  opposite  extremity  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Puget  Sound.  '.  .       r  'i      ,t    1'    I         ;  V   • 

The  distance  by  this  route  from  San  Francisco  to  l\Iemphis,  one 


125 

of  the  proposed  termini  on  the  Mississippi,  was  estimated  at  2,000 
miles.  A  computation  similar  to  that  made  on  the  route  to  St. 
Louis,  makes  it  more  than  this,  viz : 

From  San  Francisco  to  "Walker's  Pass,       •        -    3G0  miles. 
From  Walker's  Pass  to  Memphis,  direct,        -       l,GOl      " 
Add  to  latter  for  deviations  from  direct  route, 
say  ten  per  cent.,  or  two  per  cent,  less  than 
upon  the  route  to  St  Louis,         •        -        •         160      " 


2,124 

(C 

66 

(( 

2,1G0 

u 

50 

(C 

Add  estimated  increase  by  Tcjon  Pass, 


Deduct  for  passing  south  of  Mount  Diabolo, 

Total, 2,140      " 

The  route  from  San  Francisco  to  Memphis  is,  therefore,  by  this 
estimate,  180  miles  longer  than  from  Chicago  to  De  Fuca,  and  540 
miles  longer  than  from  the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior  to  De  Fuca. 

The  Tejon  Pass  is  at  the  junction  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  with  the 
Coast  Range.  Not  far  from  this  point  are  openings  in  the  Coast 
Range  which  are  supposed  to  offer  a  more  direct  route  to  San 
Francisco  than  by  the  Tulare  and  San  Joaquin  valleys,  but  the  coun- 
try between  the  Coast  Range  and  the  Pacific  is  less  productive,  not 
being  as  well  watered  in  summer  as  the  valleys  of  Tulare  and  San 
Joaquin,  which  are  supplied  by  the  numerous  streams  from  the 
Nevada  Mountains.  The  Western  slopes  of  the  latter  include, 
also,  most  of  the  placers  in  which  gold  is  found,  and  it  is  hSre  that 
most  of  the  population  of  southern  California  will,  probably,  bo 
situated,  and  it  is  only,  also,  from  the  San  Joaquin  valley,  that  a 
continuous  line  of  Railroad  can  be  conveniently  carried  to  the 
Sacramento  valley,  north  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  considera- 
tions of  great  importance,  all  indicating  the  San  Joaquin  valley  as 
the  most  suitable  for  the  location  of  the  proposed  Road. 

The  third  route  leads  from  Walker's  or  the  Tejon  Pass  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Gila,  on  the  Colorado,  50  or  60  miles  from  the  mouth 


126 


of  the  latter.  Tlienco  up  the  valley  of  the  Gila,  and  across  the 
elevated  Plateau,  which  lies  parallel  nearly  t  ith  the  Mexican 
boundary,  to  the  valley  of  the  Del  Norte.  Thence  down  the  latter 
a  short  distance  to  El  Paso;  and  from  El  Paso  through  the 
northern  part  of  Texas  to  the  Mississippi,  at  a  point  or  points 
which  will  best  concentrate  the  travel  and  busine^;;  of  the  States 
east  of  that  river.  . 

The  distance  by  this  line  from  Mempliis  to  San  Francisco  is 
greater  than  by  the  route  last  named,  and  cannot  be  estimated  at 
loss  than  about  2,200  miles.  This  result  is  obtained  by  adding 
fourteen  per  cent,  only  to  the  direct  distance  from  Memphis  to 
Walker's  Pass,  and  increasing  the  amount  by  the  estimated  distance 
to  San  Francisco,  as  given  upon  the  other  routes,  to  the  same  point. 
This  is  also,  probably,  about  the  distance  by  the  same  route  be- 
tween San  Francisco  and  New  Orleans,  diverging  at  Trinity  river, 
in  Texiis,  and  passing  through  Logansport. 

If  the  terminus  of  this  route  on  the  Pacific  is  fixed  at  San  Diego, 
instead  of  San  Fi'ancisco,  the  distance  to  the  points  named  on  the 
Mississippi,  will  be  about  400  miles  less,  or  about  1^800  miles  in 
all,  and  if  a  terminus  be  made  at  Galveston,  which  is  said  to  be  the 
best  port  for  large  vessels  in  Texas,  the  distance  will  be  still  fur- 
ther reduced  about  300  miles,  making  the  distance  from  Galveston 
to  San  Diego  1,500  miles  nearly,  and  to  the  Colorado  river  1,320 
miles. 

Of  these  several  routes,  the  two  first  traverse  the  entire  breadth, 
east  and  west,  of  tlie  comparatively  unproductive  region  already 
described,  incUnliiig  what  has  hitherto  been  called  the  American 
Desert,  on  the  oast  of  tlie  Kocky  Mountains,  and  the  entire  coun- 
try west  to  the  Ni'vada  Mountains.  A  region  comprising  a  dis- 
tance of  at  least  1,000  miles,  upon  either  of  the  routes,  and  which, 
west  of  the  Del  Norte  valley,  is,  with  few  exceptions,  a  nearly  bar- 
ren region,  without  timber,  and  in  many  places  without  water, 
having  few  attractions  for  settlers.  A  region  containing  no  navi- 
gable streams,  by  means  of  which,  materials  and  provisions  can  be 
eojiveyed  to  the  line  of  the  road  while  building.     On  the  contrary. 


127 


materials  and  proviBioiis  for  the  entire  length  of  both  routes  must 
be  mostly  conveyed  from  the  two  extremes  of  each ;  and  it  is  only 
by  this  tedious  and  expensive  process  that  a  road  upon  either  can 
be  constructed,  and  the  fuel  which  is  to  furnisli  the  power  by 
which  they  are  to  be  operated,  and  the  necessary  materials  for 
renewals  and  repairs,  must  be  charged  with  tlie  cost  of  trans- 
portation for  hundreds  of  miles  upon  the  road,  and  the  water, 
without  which  the  iron  horse,  all  powerful  as  it  is,  is  impotent, 
must,  for  several  hundred  miles  on  either  route,  after  being  sought 
for  in  vain  from  the  barren  sands  beneath,  or  the  brassy  heavens 
above,  bo  obtained  at  great  cost  by  digging  deep  into  the  earth,  or 
by  forming  artificial  channels  leading  from  the  streams  where  the 
flow  of  water  is  permanent,  to  convenient  points  on  the  line  of  the 
Road.  ■        ^ 

Such  is  the  general  character  of  the  two  most  northern  of  the 
three  routes  leading  from  Walker's  or  the  Tejon  Pass  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi, either  of  these  being  longer  than  the  Northern  route  from 
Chicago  to  the  Pacific,  even  should  their  directness  be  improved 
by  the  find-ng,  which  is  not  probable,  a  practicable  pass  across  the 
Nevada  M  uutainH  by  the  valley  of  Owens  Lake  and  Kings  river. 

E'^her  of  these  routes,  estimating  from  the  Mississippi  river  to 
San  J  'rancisco,  has  a  much  greater  rise  and  fall  in  the  aggregate 
than  is  found  on  the  Northern  route.  This  will  be  appari-nt  so 
far  as  the  norLnenimost  of  the  two  routes  is  concerned,  when  it  is 
considered  tliat  the  summit  l)etwoen  the  waters  of  the  Ilio  Del 
Norte  and  Colorado  is  probtibl}  i,000  feet  above  the  sea.  This 
summit  is  upwards  of  300  miles  nortii  of  iSan  Felippe,  where  the 
]'io  Del  Norte,  by  Col.  Emory's  measurement,  is  5,158  feet  above 
the  sea.  IJy  his  measuremen'  also,  the  valley  of  that  river  for 
some  distance  below  San  ''  lippe  to  near  the  Mexican  boundary 
is  inclined  at  the  average  rate  of  six  feet,  nearly,  per  mile,  and 
us  rivers  usually  descend  most  rapidly  near  their  source,  it  is  not 
unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  valley  above  San  Felippe  rises  at 
the  average  rate  of  at  least  10  feet  per  mile,  which  gives  for  tlie 
jH'obable  elevation  ol  tne  summit  the  amount  above  stated. 


128 

The  elevation  of  the  surface  at  the  Vegas  de  Santa  Chira,  west 
of  the  Colorado,  according  to  Fremont,  is  5,200  feet.  The  Color- 
ado at  the  crossing,  or  at  the  point  rather,  where  the  line  would 
leave  that  river,  is  not  higher,  probably,  than  about  3,000  feet 
Add  to  this  the  ascent  of  the  Nevada  summit  at  Walker's  Piiss,  or 
the  Tcjon  Pass,  and  the  descent  therefrom  to  the  Pacific ;  also  the 
rise  and  fall  incurred  in  passing  from  the  valley  of  the  Smoky  Hill 
Fork  of  the  Kanzas  to  that  of  the  Arkansas,  and  from  the  latter  to 
the  valley  of  the  Del  Norte,  and  in  surmounting  the  many  second- 
ary ridges  or  ranges  into  which  the  surface  of  the  country  is 
broken  for  the  entire  distance  from  the  Del  Norte  valley  to  the 
Pacific,  and  it  makes,  at  the  lowest  reasonable  estimate,  a  total 
rise  and  fall,  as  stated  above,  very  greatly  exceeding  what  will  bo 
encountered  upon  the  Northern  route. 

If  a  comparison  is  made  in  this  respect  with  the  next  route  pass- 
mg  near  Albuquerque  south  of  Santa  Fe,  a  similar  result  will  fol- 
low; showing,  probably,  if  any  thin-T,  a  greater  difference  in  the 
total  rise  and  fall  in  favor  of  the  Northern  route.  Upon  this  route 
tlie  same  Pass  over  the  Nevada  Mountains  may  be  adopted.  The 
Colorado  must  be  crossed  lower  down  or  nearer  to  its  mouth,  and 
consequently  at  a  much  lower  level,  that  river  having  but  little 
descent,  comparatively,  below  the  parallel  of  35°.  There  is  at 
present  no  evidence  by  which  a  lower  summit  can  be  infered 
between  the  Colorado  and  the  Del  N(  rte.  The  line  crosses  the 
Del  Norte  at  a  lower  level,  and  the  ascent  may  be  greater  in  leav- 
ing the  valley  of  that  river  to  pass  over  into  'hat  of  the  Mississippi. 
Altogether  the  entire  rise  and  fall  on  this  route  will,  probably,  bo 
found  to  be  ns  groat,  if  not  greater,  than  upon  the  route  next  north 
leading  to  St.  Louis.  In  addition  to  this  it  should  be  noticed  that 
the  terminus,  on  the  Mississippi,  of  this  route  at  Memphis,  is  far- 
ther remove]  from  New  York  city  than  is  St.  Louis,  an  objection 
which  applies  with  still  greater  force  to  the  third  lino  near  the 
Mexican  b'  undary. 

This  latter  line  has  features  which  are  difibrcnt  from  the  two  lust 
named     After  leaving  Walkers  or  the  Tejon  Pass,  it  descends 


129 


^■> 


nearly  to  the  level  of  the  sea  at  the  crossing  of  the  Colorado. 
From  thence,  unless  permission  is  obtained  to  carry  it  over  bettor 
ground  through  Mexican  territory,  it  must  be  kept  in  the  valley  of 
the  Gila  until  it  attains  a  suitable  point  in  the  latter  for  passing  on 
to  the  great  plain  which  extends  through  to  the  Del  Norte,  and 
which  is  supposed  to  have  an  elevation  of  4,500  to  5,000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea. 

From  this  plain,  which  is  covered  with  detached  or  isolated 
ridges  or  mountains,  and  which  from  its  low  elevation  marks  the 
division  between  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  north,  and  the  Mexi- 
can Andes  or  Cordilleras,  the  line  descends  the  valley  of  the  Del 
Norte  to  El  Paso,  which  is  elevated,  by  barometric  measurement, 
3,812  feet  above  the  sea.  Thence  rising  from  and  leaving  the  Del 
Norte  valley  it  traverses  the  northern  portion  of  Texas  and  has  a 
rise  and  fall,  when  it  reaches  the  Mississippi,  as  gieat,  probably,  if 
not  greater,  than  is  encountered  on  either  of  the  two  routes  next 
north  of  it ;  so  that  in  this  particular  and  in  that  of  distance,  it  has 
no  advantage  over  either  of  those  routes,  estimating  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi at  one  extreme,  and  San  Francisco  at  the  other. 

In  another  view  it  possesses  advantages  which  do  not  attach  to 
the  two  other  routes  named,  and  which  will,  probably,  be  consid- 
ered as  entitling  it  to  more  consideration.  Those  consist  in  its  en- 
tire freedom  from  snows,  and  in  the  connection  which  can  be  made 
from  it  with  San  Diego  on  the  Pacific,  and  the  Ports  of  Texas  on 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  also  with  the  Gulf  of  California.  This 
route,  from  all  accounts,  passes  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Del 
Norte  through  a  generally  fertile  region,  very  well  supplied  with 
timber  for  two-thirds  of  the  distance,  to  where  it  meets  the  southern 
part  of  the  Llano  Estacado  or  Staked  Plain,  but  west  of  the  Del 
Norte  to  San  Diego,  a  distance  by  the  line  of  the  road  of  probably 
800  miles,  the  country,  according  to  Gen.  Kearney,  is  "destitute  of 
timber,  producing  but  few  cottonwood  and  mosquito  trees,"  and 
"  very  little  grass  or  vegetation,  owing  to  the  dryness  of  the 
climate."  This  portion  traverses  the  high  and  dry  plain  described 
between   the  Del  Norte  and  the  Gila,  and  the  sand  plains  and 


130 


deserts  wliich  extend  from  tlic  lower  part  of  the  valley  of  the  Gila  to 
the  Pacitic;  features,  which  upon  this  route  and  the  two  next  north 
of  it,  present  ditKculties  and  obstacles  to  the  constniction  and  suc- 
cessful operation  of  a  Railroad,  of  a  nature  far  more  serious  thaa 
can  possibly  be  experienced  from  the  cold  and  snows  upon  the 
Northern  route.  To  this  should  be  added  the  apprehensions  in 
regard  to  the  character  of  the  climate,  which,  whether  they  have 
any  just  foundation  or  not,  will  serve  to  enhance  greatly  the  cost 
of  the  .work,  and  when  finished,  will,  at  certain  seasons,  induce 
travellers  to  give  their  preference  to  a  more  northerly  route,  if 
such  a  route  is  oflPered  for  their  choice. 

The  connection  with  San  Francisco  by  this  route  may  be  short- 
ened, as  described  in  the  case  of  the  two  routes  to  Memphis  and 
St.  Louis,  by  passing  on  the  west  instead  of  the  east  side  of  the 
Coast  Range.  The  objections  which  were  urged  to  the  adoption 
of  this  course  aloo  apply  to  this  route.  The  distance  by  it  from 
Galveston  to  the  Colorado  is  between  1,300  and  1,400  miles,  and 
should  a  shorter  connection  be  made  with  the  Gulf  of  California  in 
what  is  now  ^.lexican  territory,  by  carrying  a  line  from  some  point 
not  very  far  to  the  east  of  the  San  Pedro  branch  of  the  Gila 
across  the  Province  of  Sonora  to  the  nearest  point  on  the  Gulf,  the 
distance  from  ocean  to  ocean  will  still  be  from  1,200  to  1,300  miles-'. 

A  line  thus  located  may  possess  some  importance  in  reference  to 
the  trade  with  Australia  and  the  islands  of  the  South  Pacific,  but 
even  this  importance  is  greatly  lessened  in  view  of  the  undoubted 
superiority  of  the  shorter  lines  situated  farther  south,  across  the 
Isthmus  for  accomplishing  the  same  object. 

Notwithstanding  this  route  has  superior  merits  in  a  commercial 
and  military  view,  and  in  its  entire  freedom  from  snows,  and  its 
less  distance  from  ocean  to  ocean,  compared  with  the  two  next 
north  of  it ;  it  does  not,  it  mnt  be  obvious  from  all  that  has  been 
said,  possess  the  characteristics  which  are  requisite  to  render  it 
the  great  commercial  thoroughfare  between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific, 
to  an  equal  degree  with  the  Northern  route.  On  the  contrary  it  is 
exceedingly  doubtful,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter,  whether  if  con- 


131 

Btructed  it  can  command  any  very  considerable  portion  of  the  busi- 
ness and  travel  between  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  and  the  leading 
cities  of  the  Atlantic. 

In  respect  to  the  time  required  for  building,  and  the  cost  of  con- 
struction of  the  several  routes,  there  will  be  found  a  vast  disparity 
in  favor  of  tlie  Northern  route,  compared  with  either  of  the  other 
routes  named. 

As  already  stated  neither  of  the  routes  leading  to  San  Francisco 
can  be  approached  at  any  intermediate  point  between  the  Missis- 
sippi or  Missouri  and  the  Pacific,  for  the  delivery  of  materials  or 
supply  of  provisions,  unless  it  be  at  one  point  on  the  most  southern 
line  near  where  it  crosses  the  Colorado.  At  every  other  point  on 
this  route,  and  at  all  points  on  the  other  two,  the  iron  rails  with 
tlieir  fixtures,  the  materials  for  the  stations  and  depots,  and  the  pro- 
visions for  the  sustenance  of  the  laborers  must  be  transported  from 
the  extremities  of  the  road,  or  otherwise  conveyed  by  teams  from 
distant  points  at  a  very  great  cost. 

In  another  place  an  opinion  has  been  expressed  as  to  the  proba- 
ble cost,  under  certain  circumstances,  of  the  Northern  route  and 
of  the  branch  of  220  miles  connecting  it  with  Lake  Superior.  In 
that  estimate  the  entire  cost  is  placed  at  $100,000,000. 

This  estimate  is,  of  course,  based  mainly  upon  such  descriptions 
of  the  country  as  were  most  reliable,  and  is  according  to  the  best 
judgment  of  the  writer,  who  has  had  no  inconsiderable  experience 
and  knowledge  of  the  cost  of  railroads  in  various  portions  of  the 
country  for  the  last  twenty-five  years. 

An  opinion  formed  in  a  similar  manner,  upon  data  of  a  like 
character,  in  respect  to  the  Southern  routes,  mak>?s  the  probable 
cost  of  either,  vastly  greater  than  that  of  the  Northern  route.  This 
results  from  their  greater  length ;  the  less  favorable  character  of 
the  surface;  the  probable  greater  amount  of  rock;  the  almost  total 
absence  of  timber  for  much  of  the  distance ;  their  inaccessibility; 
the  greater  difficulty  of  securing  labor;  and  the  very  much  greater 
length  of  time  required  for  their  construction,  producing  a  large 
interest  account,  and  preventing  early  returns  upon  the  capital 
invested. 


1 


This  is  true  of  the  routes  from  St.  Louis  and  Memphis  crossing 
the  valley  of  the  Del  Norte.  It  is  also  in  a  great  measure  true  of 
the  most  southern  route. 

No  very  correct  or  satisfactory  opinion  can  be  formed  of  the 
probable  cost  of  cither  of  tho  linos  leading  from  St.  Louis,  or  f''om 
any  of  the  points  named,  south  of  that  city,  to  San  Francisco  or 
San  Diego,  owing  to  the  peculiar  character  of  the  country  west  of 
the  Del  Norte;  since  in  all  the  varieties  of  railway  construction  in 
this  country,  or  in  Europe,  no  parallel  can  be  found  to  the  circum- 
stances which  exist  on  those  routes. 

Upon  each  of  them  for  a  distance  of  700  miles  and  upwards, 
during  that  season  when  the  sun  is  most  powerful,  scarcely  any 
rain  descends  to  moisten  the  dry  and  parched  ground,  and  lay  the 
clouds  of  dust  which  are  raised  and  swept  by  the  winds  over  its 
treeless  surface ;  and  the  little  that  falls  at  other  seasons  is  not  suffi- 
cient, in  most  places,  to  produce  any  appreciable  effect  upon  the 
thirsty  soil,  and  none  at  all  where  the  surface  is  of  the  character 
represented  in  the  vicinity  of,  and  for  a  number  of  miles  west  of, 
the  Colorado,  vix :  a  waste  of  drifting  sands  unstable  and  change- 
able, nearly,  as  the  waves  of  the  sea. 

In  a  region  of  this  character,  it  remains  yet  to  be  ascertained, 
how  much  labor  is  required  to  form  embankments  and  excavations 
of  given  dimensions,  and  fortify  them,  if  it  be  possible,  against  ex- 
ternal influences,  so  that  both  may  not  again  be  speedily  obliterated 
or  rendered  comparatively  useless  by  the  winds  of  Heaven. 

It  remains  also  to  be  ascertained  what  plan  of  construction  is 
the  best  for  the  track  and  for  the  buildings  and  other  appendages 
of  the  road.  Whether  timber,  under  its  necessarily  great  cost,  can 
be  used  with  propriety  to  any  extent  instead  of  stone  or  metal,  in 
forming  the  track,  and  for  other  purposes,  and  if  so  used,  will  be 
sufficiently  secure  from  destruction  by  fire  in  those  arid  wastes,  or 
whether  in  the  absence  of  the  bois  de  vache  or  "buffalo  chips," 
which  will  become  very  scarce  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  rail- 
road, the  Indian,  (still  the  principal  tenant  of  that  uninhabitable 
region,)  will  hesitate  to  obtain  from  the  material  of  the  road  the 


133 


means  to  cook  his  hasty  meal,  or  warm,  in  winter,  his  shivering 
limbs. 

It  remains  also  to  be  ascertained,  whatever  plan  of  construction 
may  be  adopted,  what  is  the  actual  cost  of  labor,  of  materials,  and 
of  provisions,  etc.,  under  the  great  and  extraordinaiy  inconveni- 
ences and  disadvantages  which  will  necessarily  surround  and  encum- 
ber the  execution  of  the  work.  And  should  it  finally  be  completedi 
it  remains  to  be  seen  what  will  be  the  actual  cost  of  operating  and 
maintaining  under  the  great  disadvantages  which  must  forever  ex- 
ist, and  to  appreciate  which,  the  past  history  of  railroads  affords 
no  antecedents,  or  any  evidence  upon  which  a  correct  judgment  can 
be  formed,  further  than  the  certain  assurance  of  the  cost  exceeding 
greatly  the  limits  of  all  past  experience. 

This  is  the  true  aspect  necessarily  presented  by  the  subject  when 
the  question  of  cost  of  either  of  the  three  routes  named  is  seri- 
ously considered,  and  cannot  be  changed  unless  it  shall  appear  that 
whatever  has  been  written  of  the  country  is  untrue,  or  the  facts 
have  been  greatly  exaggerated  and  distorted,  or  vmless,  what  is 
about  equally  probable,  Providence  shall  interpose  and  remove 
that  great  barrier,  the  Cordilleras  of  California,  and  compel,  also, 
the  trade  winds  to  distribute  their  treasures  in  a  less  partial  man- 
ner over  the  entire  region  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

On  the  subject  of  cost,  therefore,  the  only  conclusion  at  which  it 
is  at  present  possible  to  arrive,  is,  that  all  things  considered,  inclu- 
ding difierence  in  climate  and  other  circumstances  named,  either  oi 
the  three  southern  routes  must  cost  very  much  more,  mile  fjr  mile 
to  build,  than  the  northern,  and  will  cost,  also,  very  much  more  to 
operate  and  maintain;  and  in  arriving  at  this  conclusion  it  is  not 

Ibrgotten  that  the  northern  route  has  also  its  difficulties,  some  of 
which  are  of  a  serious  character.  That  on  portions  of  it  there  is 
a  scarcity  of  timber,  and  that  the  conveyance  of  materials,  etc.,  on 
much  of  the  line,  will  be  attended  with  unusual  expense;  but  aside 
from  these  the  work  possesses  no  extraordinary  character,  and 
there  is  no  good  reason  to  suppose  that  it  can  very  much,  if  any, 
exceed  the  limits  of  an  estimate  as  liberal  as  the  one  herein  pre* 


134 


Bented.  The  country  through  which  thia  line  passes,  is,  in  general, 
susceptible  of  improvement,  and  will  be  settled,  probably,  about  as 
fast  as  the  road  can  be  built ;  a  circumstance  which,  while  it  will 
contribute  greatly  to  the  business  of  the  road,  will  add  to  its  secu- 
rity, and  materially  lessen  the  expense  of  operating  and  maintain- 
ing it. 

That  this  is  a  just  conclusion  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  even 
now  the  tide  of  emigration  and  settlement  is  setting  more  strongly 
in  that  direction  than  any  other,  under  the  combined  attraction  of 
soil  and  climate ;  and  this  movement  will  be  greatly  accelerated 
whenever  the  line  of  railroad  is  completed,  as  it  soon  will  bo,  direct 
from  Chicago  to  the  Mississippi,  and  more  especially  when  it  is 
known  that  a  railway  is  to  be  constructed  upon  the  proposed 
Northern  route  to  the  Pacific. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  portion  of  the  most  southern  route, 
from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Del  Norte,  passes  through  a  region  of 
country  possessing  many  attractions  for  settlers,  a  region  which 
will  in  time  undoubtedly  fully  justify  the  construction  of  a  railroad 
for  its  accommodation. 

This  remark  applies  more  particularly  to  the  portion  from  ibe 
Mississippi  to  about  Long.  101°  or  102°  "VV.  From  thence  to  tho 
Rio  Del  Norte  there  is  no  timber  except  a  little  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Pecos  river.  Water  in  this  district  is  also  scarce,  and  the  soil 
is  of  an  inferior  character. 

West  of  the  Del  Norte  the  country  has  few  attractions  of  an 
agricultural  character,  but  the  mountains  and  the  valleys  on  cither 
side  of  the  Gila  are  said  to  be  rich  in  minerals  and  in  the  precious 
metals.  To  obtain  suitable  access  to  them  and  to  fulfil  in  a  proper 
manner  our  treaty  relations  with  Mexico,  a  railway  to  the  valley 
of  the  Del  Norte  is  importantj  but  beyond  this  it  is  difficult  to 
perceive  any  present  necessity,  or  advantage  commensurate  with 
the  expense,  for  such  an  improvement,  a  conclusion  in  which  our 
readers  will  more  readily  acquiesce  when  they  come  to  see  from 
the  remarks  which  follow,  the  degree  of  interest  the  State  of  Cali- 
fornia really  has  in  such  an  improvement. 


135 


The  immediate  valley  of  the  Gila  is  considered  by  all  acquainted 
with  it,  as  impracticable  for  a  railroad,  so  that  whatever  may  bo 
the  determination  iu  re'3pect  to  the  Mexican  boundary,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  locate  the  road  for  some  distance  on  Slexican  ground, 
and  the  connexion  with  the  G  ulf  of  California  must  also  be  made 
in  Mexican  territory. 

"With  respect  to  the  other  lines  projected  from  the  Mississippi  or 
Missouri  rivers  towards  the  Colorado  Valley,  they  will,  if  judi- 
ciously located,  and  extended  so  as  to  keep  u  proper  pace  with  the 
movement  of  the  population,  be  well  sustained  iu  their  course  to 
the  Bocky  Mountains,  but  beyond  these  no  inducements  exist  for 
their  extension,  or  are  likely  to  exist  for  many  years  to  come ;  un- 
less at  a  few  points  where  there  are  very  favorable  passes,  it  shall 
be  found  expedient  to  enter  the  borders  merely  of  the  immense 
waste  which  lies  beyond. 

Under  an  enlarged  commercial  view  of  the  subject  the  more 
populous  of  the  States  lying  to  the  east  of  the  Mississippi,  have 
very  little  interest  comparatively  in  the  adoption  of  any  central  or 
more  southern  route  from  that  river  to  the  Pacific. 

To  illustrate  the  truth  of  this  latter  position  let  it  be  assumed, 
that  Ban  Francisco  is  a  point  on  the  Pacific  as  desirable  to  be 
reached  as  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca, — that  its  distance  from  St, 
Louis  for  instance  by  any  practicable  route  is  no  greater  than  the 
distance  of  De  Fuca  from  Chicago, — that  the  cost  of  constructing 
and  maintaining  and  operating  a  railroad  upon  the  former  route  is 
no  greater  than  upon  the  latter,  with  no  more  elevation  to  be  over- 
come— that  the  country  through  which  the  former  passes  is  equally 
productive  with  the  latter,  and  will  aflford  a  revenue  from  a  way 
business  in  time  equally  great,  (all  which  assumptions  are  untrue,) 
what  then  would  be  the  aspect  which  the  question  would  present, 
and  which  of  the  points  St.  Louis  or  Chicago  would  be  the  most 
convenient  and  easy  of  access  by  the  mass  of  the  population  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  the  Atlantic? 

The  question  is  very  easily  answered  by  a  reference  to  the  map, 
and  drawmg  thereon  a  Btraight  hne  connecting  the  two  cities  of 


x-!1 


136 


St.  Louis  and  Chicago,  and  from  a  point  midway  on  this  line 
♦Jrawing  another  as  AB  (see  map)  in  a  south  easterly  direction 
perpendicular  to  it,  which  it  will  be  seen  meets  the  Atlantic  in  the 
vicinity  of  Wilmington,  N.  C.  Any  point  in  this  latter  line  is  evi- 
dently equidistant  from  St.  Louis  or  Chicago  and  hence  all  places 
to  the  north  of  it,  must  be  nearer  to  Chicago  than  to  St.  Louis. 

The  portion  of  the  population  of  the  United  States  which  is  thus 
situated  nearest  to  Chicago  comprises  two-thirds  of  the  whole. — 
That  section  of  the  Union  also  includes  much  the  greatest  portion 
of  the  capital  of  the  country,  and  at  least  seven-eighths  of  its  com- 
mercial and  manufacturing  interest ;  branches  of  national  industry 
which  will  contribute  most  to  the  business  of  the  road  when 
built. 

If  the  mouth  of  the  Kanzas  River  is  assumed  as  the  eastern  ter- 
minus of  the  proposed  central  road,  the  distance  from  it  to  San 
Francisco,  will  probably  be  found  as  great  as  from  Chicago  to  Do 
Fuca,  the  latter  route  still  possessing  all  the  other  important  points 
of  superiority,  enumerated  above.  Indeed  if  a  point  be  taken  far 
enough  west  on  the  route  from  St.  Louis  to  San  Francisco,  to  place 
that  route  on  a  par  with  the  Northern  route,  in  respect  to  distance) 
gradients,  expense  of  constructing  and  operating  combined,  to  say 
nothing-  of  the  inferiority  of  San  Francisco,  as  a  terminus  compared 
with  De  Fuca;  and  if  from  that  point  a  direct  line  be  drawn  to 
Chicago,  as  is  done  upon  the  map  from  St.  Louis  to  Chicago,  and 
this  line  bo  bisected  by  another  at  right  angles  to  it  drawn  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  it  will  be  seen  that,  as  between  the  two  routes 
named,  nearly  every  State  east  of  the  Mississippi  is  nearest  to  the 
Pacific  by  the  Northern  route. — In  fine,  if  the  States  east  of  tho 
Mississippi  were  expunged  and  St.  Louis  stood  the  acknowledged 
best  point  for  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  proposed  road,  the  very 
best  route  that  could  be  selected  from  it  to  the  Pacific,  would  be 
tho  northern  route. 

Chicago  is  not  only  situated  the  nearest  to  the  most  populous  and 
most  commercial  and  nuiuufactoiing  portion  of  tho  Union,  and  also 
to  the  Canadas,  which  v.ill  contribute  largely  tx)  the  proposed  roud, 


137 


but  it  has  the  great  advantage  of  a  position  at  the  extreme  limit  of 
navigation  of  the  Great  Lakes,  a  navigation  which  is  so  much 
cheaper  than  the  cheapest  conveyance  by  railroad,  as  to  attract  by 
a  force  which  cannot  be  resisted  most  of  the  freight  passing  be- 
tween New  York  and  the  Pacific,  over  any  route  leading  from  St. 
Louis,  so  that  in  comparing  the  Northern  with  the  St.  Louis  route 
it  would  be  the  most  correct  to  assume  the  latter  as  terminating  at 
Chicago,  in  which  case  the  disparity  between  the  two  in  favor  of 
the  Northern  route  will  be  still  more  apparent. 

This  view  of  the  subject  exhibits  in  a  striking  mannA"  the  great 
difference  between  the  two  routes,  and  presents  in  a  strong  and 
clear  light  the  superiority  of  the  Northern  route  as  compared  with 
any  more  southerly  route  proceeding  from  St.  Louis  to  the 
Pacific. 

St.  Louis  has  not  only  not  tho  advantage  in  position  in  its  rela- 
tion to  the  leading  cities  of  the  Atlantic  as  Chicago,  but  any  route 
passing  from  it  to  the  West  has  no  such  invaluable  feature  as  is 
possessed  by  the  Northern  route,  in  the  opportunity  it  affords  for 
a  connection  with  the  navigation  of  the  Lakes,  by  tho  branch  to 
Lake  Superior,  which  reduces  the  distance  by  railroad  between 
that  navigation  and  the  Pacific  to  about  1600  miles,  being  some- 
what less  probably  than  the  distance  from  Memphis  or  New  Or- 
leans to  the  Gulf  of  California ;  neither  can  it  command  in  so  great 
a  degree  the  European  trade  and  intercourse  v.'ith  Asia  across  the 
continent,  which  must  constitute  a  large  portion  of  the  business  of 
the  Northern  route,  and  add  greatly  to  its  revenue ;  a  trade  which 
will  yield  larger  profits  upon  the  Northern  route,  just  in  propor- 
tion as  the  expense  of  carrying  upon  that  route  is  less,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  less  cost,  and  less  expense  of  operating  and  main- 
taining it,  as  compared  with  the  more  southern  routes. 

The  attention  of  the  English  government  and  of  English  capi- 
talists is  already  seriously  directed  to  the  subject  of  a  communi- 
cation by  railroad  across  the  continent  from  the  Great  Lakes,  and 
shoula  tho  Northern  route  not  be  built,  a  road  designed  to  accom- 
plish the  same  objout  will  undoubtedly  at  no  very  distant  day  bo 


138 


attempted  within  the  British  possessions,  on  ground,  which  although 
not  by  any  means  as  favorable  as  is  to  be  found  within  our  ovm 
borders,  is  still  sufficiently  favorable  to  render  a  road  constructed 
upon  it  superior,  in  many  respects,  probably,  to  any  of  the  more 
southern  routes,  and  upon  which  if  a  road  is  built  it  will  command 
somewhat  more  than  the  Lion's  share  of  the  Pacific  trade. 

Such  is  the  great  advantage  in  .position  of  the  Northern  route 
as  a  commercial  thoroughfare,  such  the  character  of  the  country 
through  which  it  passes,  connecting  as  it  does  by  the  best  route 
the  most  important  points  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  and  touching 
in  its  course  the  most  populous  and  growing  portion  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  St.  Lawrence  valleys,  that  if  either  of  the  proposed  lines 
to  the  south  of  it  were  previously  constructed  by  Government  aid, 
the  force  of  circumstances  and  private  enterprise  would  in  time 
cause  it  to  be  built,  even  if  our  English  neighbors  should  attempt 
a  similar  communication;  and  when  built  it  would  become  the 
leading  channel  of  communication  between  the  tv/o  oceans. 

It  has  been  stated  that  neither  of  the  routes  proposed  leading 
from  San  Francisco  to  the  Mississippi,  could,  if  built,  command  the 
entire  trade  and  travel  between  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  and  the 
Atlantic.  Transportation  by  sea  being  very  much  less  expensive 
than  by  Eailroad,  the  routes  by  the  Isthmus  notwithstanding  the 
j^roater  distance,  will  doubtless  continue  to  participate  largely  in 
the  trade  between  the  points  named.  This  will  be  especially  the 
ease  when  the  construction  of  the  canal  connecting  the  tv/o  oceans 
is  accomplished,  a  work  which  if  it  proves  as  feasible  as  repro- 
Kented,  is  deserving  of  more  consideration  than  any  other  of  the 
Isthmus  projects,  and  will,  in  all  probability,  take  from  them  what- 
ever of  interest  the  North  American  States  might  otherwise  have 
in  their  construction. 

The  Isthmus  routes  must  always  be  formidable  rivals  to  any  lino 
of  Railroad  leading  from  any  of  the  Southern  Ports  on  our  Pacific 
coast  to  the  Mississippi  river,  and  thence  to  the  Atlantic;  and 
hence  true  policy  dictates  the  adoption  of  the  most  northerly  route 
practicable  for  the  proposed  Koad,  consistent  with  other  consider- 


139 


ations  of  importance; — considerations  which  are  all  fortunately 
with  scarcely  an  exception,  in  favor  of  the  Northern  route. 

The  character  of  the  Road  as  affording  the  most  profitable 
investment  for  capital,  should  not  be  lost  sight  of  in  its  location. 
Whether  constructed  by  private  means  or  in  part  or  wholly  at 
Government  expense,  the  principle  of  so  locating  it  as  to  secure 
the  largest  returns  from  the  capital  invested  cannot  with  propriety 
be  overlooked. 

Such  are  the  physical  characteristics  and  probable  future  com- 
mercial relations  between  the  several  portions  of  our  country  on 
the  Pacific,  that  a  communication  by  Railway  connecting  Califor- 
nia with  Oregon  and  Washington  will  be  found  indispensable. 
Upon  the  map  of  Senator  Gwinn,  already  alluded  to,  a  line  is  pro- 
jected extending  from  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  to  Pugct  Sound, 
and  it  is  understood  that  a  grant  of  lands  will  bo  solicited  from 
Congress  for  its  accomplishment. 

If  a  practicable  passage  can  be  found  from  the  upper  part  of  the 
valley  of  the  Sacramento  to  that  of  the  Willamette  or  of  the  Fall 
River,  it  cannot  be  long  before  it  will  be  occupied  for  the  purposes 
of  a  Railroad ;  and  when  so  occupied  a  communication  will  be  at 
once  opened,  by  which  the  population  of  California  will  be  able  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  great  facilities  afforded  by  the  Northern 
route  for  communicating  with  the  eastern  States  of  the  Union. 

The  ground  at  the  northernmost  sources  of  the  Sacramento  is  un- 
doubtedly quite  elevated,  but  it  can  scarcely  be  so  high  as  to  make 
the  entire  rise  and  fall  from  the  Sacramento  valley  to  Lake  Supe- 
rior or  Lake  Michigan,  equal  to  what  it  is  by  either  of  the  south- 
ern routes  to  the  Mississippi.  Col.  Fremont,  who  passed  up  the 
valley  of  Fall  River,  describes  it  as  having  a  rich  soil  covered  with 
noble  forests.  He  found  the  elevation  whore  he  loft  it  near  its 
source  4,000  feet  above  the  sea  Between  the  sources  of  the  Fall 
River  and  the  Sacramento  are  interposed  those  of  the  Klamath 
which  flows  in  to  the  Pacific  a  little  north  of  Humboldt  harbor. 

A  road  extending  from  the  Sacramento  valley,  which  is  the  most 
populous  and  productive  portion  of  California,  and  carried  from 


140 


thence  along  the  valley  of  Fall  river  and  across  the  high  prairie 
plains  east  of  the  Columbia  to  the  valley  of  Clark's  river,  will 
connect  with  the  Northern  route  at  a  point  which  will  make  the 
distance  by  railway  from  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  to  Lake  Supe- 
rior about  2,300  miles;  a  distance  no  greater  probably,  than 
by  either  of  the  proposed  Southern  lines  from  San  Francisco  to 
the  Mississippi,  and  possessing  in  comparison  with  the  latter  many 
and  great  advantages. 

If  instead  of  a  railroad  communication  between  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco,  and  Oregon  and  Washington,  reliance  is  placed  on  the 
communication  by  water  with  the  Ports  of  the  latter,  the  Northern 
route  will  probably  still  prove  the  best  and  most  eligible  of  the  in- 
land routes  from  that  Bay  to  the  Atlantic  States. 

The  distance  from  San  Francisco  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
by  water  is  abut  GOO  miles,  and  from  the  latter  to  Lake  Superior, 
as  estimated,  is  1750  miles,  or  2350  miles  in  all.  This  is  very  little 
more  than  the  distance  from  San  Francisco  to  St.  Louis,  and  less 
than  from  San  Francisco  to  Chicago  by  the  St.  Louis  route.  The 
former  is  very  much  the  cheaper  route  of  the  two  fcr  transporta- 
tion. Only  1750  miles  of  railroad  conveyance  to  Lake  Superior, 
the  remainder  being  ocean  navigation,  and  2110  miles  only  to  Chica* 
go ;  while  from  San  Francisco  to  Chicago  the  entire  distance  by 
railroad  is  not  less  than  2430  miles ;  nearly  700  miles  more  than  to 
the  west  end  of  Lake  Superior,  a  point  as  near  to  the  Atlantic  by 
the  unrivalled  navigation  of  the  Lakes  as  is  Chicago. 

From  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  to  Chicago  the  distance  oy  rail- 
road as  estimated  by  the  Northern  route  is  2560  miles.  This  is 
130  miles  more  than  the  estimate  between  the  same  points  by  the 
way  of  St.  Louis.  If,  instead  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  a 
point  to  the  north  of  it  in  the  Sacramento  valley  is  selected,  nearer 
to  the  centre  of  population  of  California,  the  distance  will  be  very 
nearly  the  same  as  on  the  two  lines  to  Memphis  and  St  Louis,  but 
the  Northern  route  will  have  in  respect  to  the  latter  this  decided 
advantage. 

It  passes  through  in  its  entire  extent,  a  country  susceptible  of  im- 


141 

provemcnt  and  settlement,  and  will  consequently  transact  relatively 
a  larger  way  business. 

For  1300  to  1700  miles  of  tie  distance  it  forms  a  part  of  whr.t 
must  be  by  the  immutable  laws  of  cause  and  effect,  the  great  com- 
mercial inland  route  of  the  continent,  the  highway  between  the 
Northern  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  a  thoroughfare  such,  probably,  as 
the  world  has  never  witnessed,  transporting  annually  its  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  passengers  and  a  vast  amount  of  freight 

This  being  its  character  and  the  expense  of  transportation  by 
any  medium  of  intercommunication  being  invariably  less,  as  the 
amount  of  busiioss  to  be  done  is  greater,  it  follows,  that  the  cost  of 
transport  by  this  route  from  San  Francisco  to  liake  Superior  or  to 
Chicago  will  be  less  than  it  can  be  on  any  otluu*  route  from  the  same 
point  to  the  Mississippi.  Add  to  this  the  greater  cheapness  of  trans- 
portation during  the  season  of  navigation  from  Lake  Siiperior  to 
the  leading  cities  on  the  Atlantic,  compared  with  that  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  same  points,  and  it  gives  to  the  Northern  route 
as  a  means  of  communication  between  California,  and  the  older 
States  of  the  Union  east  of  the  Mountains,  a  character  which  can- 
not be  surpassed  by  any  other  inland  route,  from  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco  to  the  Mississippi. 

The  cost  of  transportation  will  not  only  be  less  upon  the  North- 
ern route  in  consequence  of  the  greater  amount  of  business  done 
upon  it,  but  it  will  be  a  cheaper  road  to  operate  and  to  maintain, 
and  so  much  cheaper  as  to  lessen  materially  the  charge  for  trans- 
portation, if  those  charges  on  the  several  routes  are  made  with 
reference  to  a  fair  remuneration  for  the  expenses  incurred  and  capi- 
tal invested  This  follows  from  its  having,  in  general,  easier  gra- 
dients, a  much  less  amount  of  elevation  to  overcome,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, on  the  main  line  from  the  lakes  to  the  Pacific ;  the  coat  of 
fuel,  provisions  and  materials,  for  repairs  of  road  and  engines  will 
be  less,  and  all  other  expenses  incident  to  the  operation  and  main- 

teinance  of  the  road  will  also  be  less. 

It  will  not  only  be  the  cheapest  inland  route  for  transport  be- 
tween the  States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific,  but 


142 


it  will  be  the  most  expeditious  route  for  travel.  The  easier  gradi- 
ents, and  less  elevation,  and  the  more  complete  and  efficient  equip- 
ment upon  a  road  doing  a  large  business,  will  enable  it  to  maintain 
a  higher  speed,  and  it  will  be  subject  to  fewer  contingencies  in 
respect  to  the  regularity  of  movement  of  its  trains,  and  it  will  be 
less  liable  to  interruptions  from  snows,  and  floo'ls,  and  drifting 
sands  and  other  causes,  than  the  nwre  southern  routes. 

Irrespective  of  a  connection  with  the  Northern  route  and  a  com- 
munication by  means  of  it  with  the  Atlantic  States,  the  population 
of  California  have  a  deep  interest  in  securing,  if  practicable,  a  lino 
of  raih'oad  direct  from  the  Sacramento  valley  to  Oregon  and 
Washington.  Such  a  road  will  give  to  them  direct  access  to  the 
timber  and  agricultural  regions  of  the  latter,  and  in  a  military 
view,  will  give  to  them  the  means  of  defence,  which  cannot  be  so 
well  or  efficiently  obtained  in  any  other  w'ay.  The  population 
which  is  gathering  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing in  numbers  is,  even  at  this  time,  probably,  sufficiently  numerous 
to  resist  any  hostile  force  which  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  it  by 
sea.  All  that  is  required  is  a  line  of  interior  communication  by 
railroad,  and  telegraph,  parallel  with  the  seaboard,  by  means  of 
which  the  forces  i>f  the  country  can  easily  and  quickly  be  trans- 
ported to  the  exposed  points,  which  are  few  in  nxmiber,  and  the 
erection  at  proper  points  of  a  few  marine  and  floating  batteries, 
and  the  establishment,  also,  at  convenient  points  of  depots  contain- 
ing arms  and  munitions  of  war.  By  adopting  this  course,  Califor- 
nia, wliile  securing  for  itself  what  will  conduce  most  to  its  advan- 
tage in  a  military  view,  is  at  the  same  time,  doing  that  which  will 
contribute  also  most  to  its  advantage  commercially,  in  securing  a 
direct  conncition  with  the  territories,  north,  and  with  the  best 
inlmd  route  to  the  leading  States  and  cities  on  the  Atlantic. 


GENERAL   REMARKS. 


In  consequence  t)f  the  iinperfecllon  of  the  data  from  which  the 
elevations  of  all  that  portion  of  the  proposed  Northern  route  lying 
between  the  Hauteurs  des  terres  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Colum- 
bia were  obtained,  it  would  be  singular  if  they  should  not  be  found 
Boraewhat  at  variance  with  the  results  which  will  ere  long  be  fur- 
nished by  the  surveys  now  in  progress. 

By  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  route  which  is  thus  uncer- 
tain, is  situated  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Upper  Mis- 
souri and  Clark  rivers.  Any  error  which  may  be  found  in  the 
estimated  elevations  of  this  portion  cannot,  it  is  conceived,  be  so 
great  as  to  alfoct  appreciably  the  general  character  of  the  route. 

In  forming  an  opinion  of  the  ascent  of  the  Missouri  valley  from 
Fort  Pierre,  and  of  the  elevation  of  the  main  summit,  reliance  is  ne- 
cessarily placed  mainly  upon  information  derived  from  the  Journal  of 
Lewis  and  Clark.  This  Journal  was  not  published  until  after  the 
death  of  the  former,  and  did  not  receive  from  him  the  corrections 
and  amendments  which  would  probably  have  been  made  on  a  final 
revision  for  the  press.  It  is,  nevertheless,  written  with  a  great 
degree  of  particularity,  as  will  be  evident  from  the  extracts  made, 
and  carries  with  it  internal  evidence  of  truthfulness  rarely  met 
with  in  productions  of  a  like  character. 

The  Journal  was  published  with  an  introduction  from  the  pen 
of  President  Jefferson  whoso  private  secretary  Capt.  Lewis  had 

143 


144 


been.  He  says  of  Capt.  Lewis,  that  he  was  a  man  "habituated  to 
exact  observation,  honest,  disinterested,  liberal,  of  sound  under- 
standing, and  a  fidelity  to  truth  so  scrupulous  that  whatever  ho 
should  report  would  be  as  certain  as  if  seen  by  ourselves." 

The  justice  of  this  flattering  testimonial  is  confirmed  by  M.  Nicolct, 
who  alludes  to  the  "truth,  accuracy,  and  conciseness"  of  the  de- 
scriptions contained  in  the  Journal;  descriptions  which  in  his 
"judgment  and  experience  will  serve  for  comparisons  useful  to 
geography.  They  will  even  come,  hereafter,  to  be  useful  for  the 
physical  history  of  the  mighty  Missouri,  the  effects  of  which  in  the 
valley  it  passes  through,  serve  as  a  standard  in  investigating  the 
regime  of  larger  rivers,  and  in  perfecting  the  hydrographic  theory 
of  their  flow." 

The  correctness  of  the  elevation  of  the  Missouri  river  at  the 
head  of  the  Falls,  where  it  approaches  near  to  the  main  summit, 
depends  very  materially  upon  the  accuracy  of  the  barometrical 
measurement  of  M.  Nicolet  at  Fort  Pierre.  Such  measurements, 
when  made  with  suitable  instruments  by  competent  observers,  can 
usually  be  relied  upon  as  near  approximations  to  the  truth.  The 
very  high  reputation  of  M.  Nicolet  is  a  guarantee  of  the  greatest 
value  in  respect  to  the  correctness  of  the  measurement  in  question. 

From  Medicine  river  to  Clark's  river,  including  the  passage  of 
the  main  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  assumed  elevations 
are  not  as  reliable  as  on  other  parts  of  the  route,  particularly  in 
respect  to  the  elevation  of  the  main  summit,  which  is  estimated  to 
be  5,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea :  The  evidence  upon  which 
this  opinion  is  based,  will  permit  of  a  lower  estimate  even  than 
that,  while  the  actual  elevation  may  be  greater ;  but  it  is  believed 
that  it  cannot  be  so  much  greater  as  to  impair  materially  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  conclusions  arrived  at,  in  regard  to  the  general 
character  of  the  Northern  route  as  compared  with  others. 

The  actual  elevation  of  this  summit,  whether  its  height  be  a  thou- 
sand feet  more  or  less  than  the  estimate,  is  not  of  so  much  importance 
in  the  comparison  as  its  feasibility  at  all  seasons,  particularly  for  the 
purpose  of  a  railroad;  a  fact  which  must  be  considered  as  fully 


o 

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« 


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145 


demonstrated,  and  which  the  explorations  now  being  made  will 
undoubtedly  fully  confirm. 

The  estimated  elevation  of  this  main  summit  is  more  than  3,000 
feet  less  than  that  of  the  highest  or  Bear  Mountain  summit  on  the 
emigrant  route  to  Oregon  by  the  South  Pass,  as  measured  by  Col- 
Fremont;  and  is  2,500  ieet  less  than  that  of  tlie  South  Pass,  or  of 
any  other  practicable  summit  probably  north  of  the  latitude  of  the 
Gila.  This  very  moderate  elevation  of  the  main  Rocky  Mountain 
Range  at  the  sources  of  the  Missouri  is  certainly  remarkable,  and 
would  not  be  believed  if  the  evidence  in  its  favor  was  not  very 
strong  and  conclusive. 

In  respect  to  the  estimate  of  distances  upon  the  several  routes, 
the  object  has  been  to  exhibit  their  relative  rather  than  their  ahso- 
lute  lengths. 

The  mbdo  adopted  for  doing  this  by  ascertaining  the  direct  dis- 
tance upon  each,  and  adding  thereto  such  a  per  centagc  as  seemed 
proper  in  each  case,  is  believed  to  be  the  best  that  could  have  been 
pursued.  The  amount  of  that  percentage  for  the  Northern  route 
was  intended  to  be  more  liberal  than  upon  the  others,  considering 
its  character.  It  is  probably  too  small  upon  all  of  the  routes,  but 
as  the  results  are  greater  upon  the  more  southerly  routes  than  has 
been  usually  given  by  their  advocates,  and  as  the  main  object  is  to 
know  nearly  their  relative  lengths,  whether  the  per  centnge  added 
is  too  little  or  too  great  is  not  of  so  much  consequence. 

The  distances  obtained  by  the  surveys  now  in  piogres:s,  will  ex- 
ceed, probably,  the  actual  distances,  when  tlie  latter  come  to  be 
known.  This  follows  from  the  mode  of  making  the  measurements 
with  the  odometer,  and  also  from  the  indirectness  of  the  lines 
measured.  The  same  plan,  however,  being  pursued  upon  all  of  the 
routes,  their  relative  lengths  will  doubtless  be  obtained  with  a  suffi- 
cient degree  of  accuracy. 

The  point  which  will  be  the  most  difficult  of  attainment,  is  an  es- 
timate which  shall  be  satisfactory,  of  the  cost  of  constructing  and 
operating  the  roads  upon  the  several  routes.    Upon  the  Northern 
10 


i& 


II 


146 


hi 


route,  as  alroudy  explained,  the  data  for  auch  an  esiirnaLe  are  much 
more  certain  and  reliable  than  upon  either  of  the  other  routes. 
■  Those  who  are  at  all  conversant  with  such  subjects  will  not  con- 
sider the  estimate  of  $100,000,000  for  that  route,  including  the 
branch  to  Lake  Superior,  as  too  high.  The  cost  upon  the  other 
routes  must  greatly  exceed  this,  and  so  much  exceed  it,  if  the 
estimates  are  justly  and  properly  made,  that  when  their  inferiority 
itt  other  respects  is  considered,  although  they  may  be  undertaken 
for  that  object,  the  most  of  them  will  be  abandoned  as  through 
routes  to  the  Pacific,  until  such  time  as  the  interests  or  necessities 
of  the  country  shall  justify  the  putting  so  large  an  amount  of  the 
capital  of  the  country  into  more  than  one  route. 

In  the  practical  execution  of  a  work  of  so  great  magnitude  there 
will  necessarily  be  obstacles  and  difficulties  of  a  serious  nature  to 
be  overcome,  even  upon  the  route  which  is  the  most  favorable. 
Upon  the  Northern  route  these  will  be  much  less  formidable  than 
upon  either  of  the  others,  and  if  the  spare  capital  of  the  country 
can  be  concentrated  upon  it,  may  be  accomplished  in  a  short  time 
without  injuriously  aftocting  other  interests  of  equal  importance. 

It  will  be  well  if  but  one  route  is  attempted  at  first,  and  that  the 
best  one ;  the  others  to  be  accomplished  hereafter  as  occasion  shall 
arise  for  their  use.  The  country  has  no  capital  to  waste  upon  un- 
productive schemes,  and  none  to  bestow  upon  those  which  do  not 
promise  the  most  beneficial  results.  A  project  which  requires  so 
great  an  amount  of  human  labor  for  its  execution,  and  which  must 
involve  the  fortunes  of  so  many,  should  not  be  entered  upon  with- 
out a  most  thorough  and  careful  investigation  into  its  merits 

The  Northern  route  can,w'ith  such  aid  as  may  with  propriety  be 
granted  by  the  General  Government,  besides  costing  less,  be  built 
in  less  time  than  any  other  route,  owing  to  the  superior  facilities  it 
possesses  for  the  purpose. 

From  the  w(!st  line  of  Wisconsin  to  the  Pacific  the  distance  as 
estimated  is  1600  miles.  This  is  not  a  greater  number  of  miles  of 
railroad  than  has  been  in  progress  in  the  single  State  of  Illinois 
within  the  last  throe  yerirs.     There  is  nothing  therefore  in  the  mag- 


147 


nitude  of  the  undertaking  which  should  be  urged  as  a  reason  for 
not  attempting  it  at  the  present  time.       ,1..  r  -    :-;  f  ^.m  ,►;(.. 

Owin^'j;  to  the  unsettled  condition  of  most  of  the  country  through 
which  it  will  pass,  and  the  difficulty  of  access,  the  progress  of  the 
work  will  necessarily  be  slow,  and  if  commenced  at  once,  cannot  be 
completed  before  the  entire  road  will  be  absolutely  needed  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  government  and  of  the  people.        ,.)  -.,. 

The  aid  which  is  anticipated  from  government,  and  which  is  ne- 
cessary to  accomplish  the  work,  will  consist  probably  in  a  grant  of 
lands  similar  to  the  grants  already  made  in  aid  of  the  construction 
of  railroads  in  Illinois  and  other  States.  ,   i 

These  grants  thus  far,  have  been  made  to  the  States,  and  by  them 
given  to  the  companies  building  the  roads.  They  embrace  every 
alternate  section  for  six  miles  in  width  on  each  side  of  the  line  of 
the  roads,  and  where  the  sections  designated  are  occupied  or  have 
been  entered  within  that  distance,  the  privilege  is  given  of  making 
up  the  given  amount  by  taking  land  within  a  distance  not  exceed- 
ing fifteen  miles  from  the  lines  of  the  roads. 

In  respect  to  the  portion  of  the  Northern  route  to  the  Pacific 
lying  in  Wisconsin,  a  grant  of  this  description  will  enable  the  com- 
pany holding  the  charter  in  that  State  to  carry  the  line  rapidly  on 
to  the  western  boundary  of  the  State.  "West  of  Wisconsin,  through 
]\Iinnesota  and  the  country  west  to  the  Pacific,  a  belt  of  land  of 
greater  width  will  be  required. 

Throughout  all  this  portion,  it  is  perhaps  needlesi*  to  say  that  a 
grant  of  lands  to  be  adequate  for  the  purpose  must  be  very  liberal 
in  amount.  However  well  adapted  the  country  may  be  for  settle- 
ment and  improvement  between  the  Haut,  terres  of  Minnesota  and 
the  mountains,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  prevailing  impressions 
in  respect  to  it  are  not  the  most  favorable.  These  must  be  re- 
moved. Much  of  the  surface  near  the  line  of  the  road  may  be 
found  of  inferior  character,  and,  in  the  mountain  portion  particu- 
larly, may  be  entirely  unsuited  for  cultivation  or  improvement  in 
anyway.  This  being  the  case,  Ihe  company,  to  induce  an  early 
settlement,  must  make  liberal  donations  to  actual  settlers.  ,  „ 


r 
I 


t¥<, 


148. 


It  is  ensy  to  perceive,  therefore,  that  the  grant  from  the  govern- 
tnent  must  be  a  liberal  one,  to  enable  the  company  or  companies 
tJiat  may  be  the  recipient  of  it,  to  accomplish  the  great  object  in 
view  within  the  time  required  by  the  wants  of  the  countiy  in  re- 
gard to  it.  With  such  n  grant  a  railroad  can  be  built  on  the 
Northern  route  to  the  Pacific  and  maintained  until  such  time  as 
the  business  upon  it  shall  become  sufficient  for  the  purpose.  It  is 
a  question  worthy  of  the  most  serious  consideration  of  all  con- 
cerned, whether  a  like  result  can  be  attained  on  any  of  the  more 
southerly  routes.  !;'':•!!,>'  ;   •        .,        ' ' 

This  doubt  is  not  expressed  from  any  feelings  of  sectional 
jealousy  or  hostility  to  either  of  those  routes,  but  from  a  firm  con- 
viction that  there  are  physical  difficulties  and  obstacles  to  be 
encountered  upon  them  of  a  magnitude  transcending  greatly  any 
estimate  that  has  been  hitherto  put  upon  them  by  their  respective 
friends  and  advocates.  i      '    .^        -  ;         ^  i  ^  r-       ;  /    ;•     > 

As  a  preliminary  step  to  the  construction  of  the  Northern  rail- 
road to  the  Pacific  that  route  should,  without  delay,  be  opened  for 
use  by  the  government  to  emigrants  going  to  the  territories  of 
"Washington  and  Oregon.  A  compai'ativcly  small  expenditure 
will  render  this  the  very  best  inland  route,  not  only  to  tho.se  terri- 
tories but  to  Califoniiu.  A  good  wagon  road  should  at  once  bo 
formed  from  ihe  Falls  of  the  Missouri  to  Clark's  river.  Another 
from  St.  Ignatius  on  the  latter  river  to  the  Chaudiere  Falls  on  the 
Columbia.  With  these  improvements,  embracing  perhaps  thrco 
hundred  miles  in  all,  a  way  will  be  opened  the  entire  distance  from 
the  Mississippi  to  the  Dalles  of  the  Columbia,  on  the  most  of  which 
at  the  proper  season  there  exists  a  very  good  navigation,  forming 
the  cheapest  and  very  best  route  for  emigrants  to  pursue. 

This  route  once  properly  opened  and  protected  by  the  govern- 
ment, would  immediately  bo  occupied  for  travel  Settlements 
would  be  made  upon  it;  the  valleys  of  the  Upper  Missouri  and 
Clark's  river  would  soon  be  dotted  with  towns  and  villages,  and 
the  way  would  thus  bo  paved  for  the  easy  and  successful  con- 
struction of  th'*  railroad.  ■■'...       i,    .        .  ^  .      ,  r. 


li^ 


149 

On  the  subject  of  the  revenue  to  be  derived  from  the  ror.d  no 
remarks  have  been  made.  The  railway  system  has  been  in  opera- 
tion long  enough  to  afford  ample  evidence  of  the  productiveness 
of  all  lines  connecting  important  business  points.  Those  which 
are  entitled  to  be  ranked  as  main  lines,  connecting  the  gi-eat  cen-  ^ 
ters  of  population  and  business,  are,  without  exception,  wherever 
they  are  under  good  management,  yielding  large  profits  to  their 
owners,  and  under  the  growing  condition  of  the  country  mug' 
prove  more  profitable  for  the  future  than  they  have  been  for  the 
past. 

The  proposed  railroad  to  the  Pacific  will  hold  no  inferior  or 
secondary  place  in  the  gi'eat  system  which  is  gradually  spreading 
over  all  the  habitable  portions  of  the  continent.  Occupying,  as  it 
will,  the  very  best  ground  for  an  inland  route  between  the  two 
Oceans,  it  must,  if  well  and  properly  built  and  managed,  transact 
an  immense  business;  and  under  the  aid  contemplated  from  Gov- 
ernment will,  i?i  time,  yield  liberal  returns  to  its  owners.  Keturns 
which  will  eventually  abundantly  repay  those  who  may  be  induced 
to  invest  their  means  in  its  construction;  but  however  great  a 
thoroughfare  it  may  eventually  prove,  its  friends  must  not  be  too 
sanguine,  or  anticipate  too  soon,  that  which  it  will  require  time  to 
mature  and  accomplish.  It  is  important  to  its  security  and  success 
that  there  should  bo  a  population  of  a  certain  amount  collected  in 
its  vicinity.    Some  years  must  necessarily  be  occupied  in  its  con- 

8truction,  and  the  commerce  and  travel  of  this  continent  and  of 
the  world  must  have  time  to  adapt  itself  to  this  new  channel  of 
communication.  •  r 

Notwithstanding  the  very  favorable  character  of  the  Northern 
route,  as  exhibited  hi  the  preceding  pages,  it  is  perhaps  not 
surprising  that  it  has  not  hitherto  received  the  attention  it  de- 
served. The  Journal  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  with  the  exception  of  an 
abridged  edition  for  the  "  Family  Library,"  has  never  been  repub- 
lished. The  lapse  of  40  years  has  served  to  obliterate  the  impres- 
sions at  first  produced,  and  many  without  due  discrimination  may 
have  risen  from  its  perusal,  supposing  that  the  trials  encountered 


; 


150 


by  them  in  the  snows  were  experienced,  if  not  in  passing  the  main 
range  of  the  Eocky  Mountains,  at  some  other  place  which  could 
not  be  avoided.      " '•■    •   '"' ^  ■    •^'  ■■  ^''-^ 

It  is  known  to  the  writer  that  at  least  one  author  of  note  has 
fallen  into  this  error.  ■  ••  '•  '''^  ';=■=■>-  t-oK-.v.  -^'  ■  »;■  ^t^A^'-;  v.. 
'  These  considerations  combined  with  the  recent  events  of  the 
Mexican  war,  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  and  the  inland 
trade  which  has  for  some  time  been  carried  on  with  New  Mexico, 
has  served  to  direct  public  attention  to  the  practicability  of  reach- 
ing the  Pacific  by  a  more  southern  route,  to  the  almost  total  neg- 
lect of  the  one  which  it  is  believed  will  eventually  prove  to  be  the 
best,  and,  (it  may  be  said  with  truth,)  the  only  one  which  oflFers  a 
reasonable  prospect  of  success.  The  principal  objection  which* 
can  be  raised  against  it  is  the  character  of  the  climate  from  its 
northern  position,  and  its  nearness  to  the  national  boundary,  objec- 
tions which  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  climate  pnd  obstructions 
from  snows  have  been,  it  is  believed,  satisfactorily  removed;  and  so 
far  as  they  relate  to  its  nearness  to  the  national  boundary  are  enti- 
tled to  no  weight,  so  long  as  the  road  connects  and  accommodates 
in  the  best  manner  the  eastern  and  western  and  central  portions  of 
the  Union,  and  is  in  the  best  position  also  for  accommodating  the 
Asiatic  trade.   .••;-"^'r- '  n  ;.  ■  2!;;/?.-j<;'j- -^  u    .;:'•.;*_-»!..•  -.-:  -.'i^-   .^.■.;_, 

This  nearness  to  the  British  possessions  when  rightly  viewed 
becomes  a  favorable  feature  rather  than  otherwise,  and  may  be 
fraught  with  much  mutual  benefit  to  the  two  great  Nations  whose 
territories,  spanning  the  continent,  are  contiguous  for  so  miiny 
hundreds  of  miles.  North  of  the  Great  liakes,  and  of  the  latitude 
of  49°  to  the  Pacific,  the  country,  although  it  may  be  practicable 
for  a  Kailvvay,  can  give  but  a  limited  support,  comparatively,  to 
such  an  improvement,  and  the  road  itself,  should  one  be  con- 
Btructed,  would  bo  forced  to  occupy  ground  much  less  favorable 
for  the  cheap  construction  and  eflUcient  operation  of  such  an  im- 
provement, than  is  found  upon  the  proposed  Northern  route 
within  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 

A  Kailway  communication  across  the  continent  is  necessary  to 


151 


Great  Britain  as  a  means  of  access  to  her  Canadian  possessiuns, 
and  in  reference  also  to  the  great  interest  she  now  has  and  must 
continue  to  have  in  the  commerce  of  the  Pacific,  and,  as  if  fully 
conscious  of  this  necessity,  she  is  now  busily  occupied  in  con 
structing  lines  of  Railway  along  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  , 
and  from  the  borders  of  Canada  and  Maine  through  New  Bruns- 
wick, to  such  point  as  will  make  the  navigable  distance  across  the 
Atlantic  the  least  possible.     These  lines  are  now  also  being  rapidly 
extended  back  into  the  interior,  and  will  soon  reach  the  shores  of 
Lake  Huron  and  those  of  Lake  Superior.  '     ^ 

The  improvements  thus  being  made  in  the  Canadas  will  serve  to 
increase  the  tide  of  immigration,  which  is  now  very  great,  causing 
it  to  move  westward  with  accumulated  force,  in  the  dij-ection  of 
the  Great  Lakes,  and  of  the  most  favorable  opening  through  the 
mountains  to  the  Pacific. 

Tne  United  States  have  probably  a  deeper  interest  in  these 
changes  and 'improvements  than  the  people  of  England  or  those  of 
any  other  country  in  the  world.  No  other  country  is  so  well  situ- 
ated as  the  United  States  for  drawing  wealth  from  the  two  great 
Oceans  which  encircle  the  Globe,  and  for  carrying  on  a  profitable 
intercourse  with  the  civilized  and  industrial  nations  that  are  seated 
on  their  shores,  and  none  where  the  people  as  a  mass  are  so  intel- 
ligent, and  where  the  encouragement  to  industry  and  enterprise, 
derived  from  just  laws,  is  so  great. 

Holding  this  position,  the  command  of  the  best  route  across  the 
continent  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  it  is  of  equal  importance 
that  it  should  terminate  at  the  most  eligible  point  on  the  Pacific. — 
Both  of  these  conditions  are  answered  by  the  Northern  route. — 
The  distance  by  it  from  Now  York  city  to  the  Straits  cf  De  Fuca, 
is  3,000  miles,  estimating  by  the  shortest  railroad  route  from  New 
York  to  Chicago. — At  the  mean  rate  of  30  miles  an  hour,  it  will 
occupy  four  dnys  continuous  travelling,  to  pass  from  Ocean  to 
Ocean. — At  50  miles  and  upwards  per  hour,  which  is  not  an  un- 
reasonable speed  for  a  fast  train  on  the  broad  gauge,  and  allowing 
14  hours  for  detentions,  it  will  be  only  three  days  from  Ocean  to 


ill 
!i 


.J(B 


152 


Ocoaa.  Supposing  300  miles  per  day,  for  Ocean  Steamers,  a  dis- 
tance which  vessels  of  that  description  are  now  capable  of  per- 
forming, and  the  time  required  to  pass  from  New  York  city  to 
China  will  not  exceed  24  days  and  21  days  only  to  Jeddo,  the 
capital  of  Japan. 

A  communication  of  this  character  must  produce  a  very  great 
change  in  the  commercial  relations  of  the  countries  that  are  thus 
brought  so  near  to  each  other,  and  this  change  will  be  the  greater 
for  the  reason  that  there  now  exists  a  very  wide  diflference  in  the 
productions  of  each,  and  in  the  value  of  labor  and  of  property.  It 
will  give  a  new  and  powerful  impulse  to  commerce ;  immigration 
from  Europe  will  be  increased,  and  Asia  will  contribute  to  swell 
the  population  on  the  Pacific ;  and  the  natives  of  that  hitherto  far- 
off  land,  may  perhaps  in  a  few  years  be  found  in  no  inconsiderable 
numbers  cultivating  the  cotton  and  rice-fields  of  the  more  southern 
States  of  the  Union. 

When  the  first  census  of  the  United  States  was  taken  in 


1790,  the 

population 

was     • 

3,924,544 

Ratio  of  in- 
crease per  cent. 

1800    " 

(( 

u        , 

-    5,305,941 

35.1 

1810    " 

(( 

« 

7,223,889 

36.1 

1820    " 

it 

«* 

-    9,643,211 

33.4 

1830    " 

<t 

it 

.       12,867,511 

33.4 

1840    " 

u 

»       , 

•  17,064,688 

32.6 

1850    " 

1 

u 

-      23,351,207 

36.8 

Mean, 


34.57 


By  this  statement  it  appears  that  the  mean  decennial  'ncreaso  in 
the  population  for  60  years  is  34  57-100  per  cent,  and  that  this  in- 
crease has  been  very  regular,  the  ratio  at  the  several  periods  when 
the  enum')ration  was  made  not  differing  at  any  ti/ne  from  this  mora 
than  2  i-4  per  cent ,  the  greatvMt  JJ^creflse  being  3G  8-Ji.9  USf  f^^fA 
from  1840  to  1850. 

AsRuming  this  mean  rate  of  increase  to  continue  for  the  next 
thirty  years  and  the  population  will  \k\ii\\  be  57  millions,  and  for  fifty 


153 

years  it  will  bo  over  one  hundred  millions.  It  will  not  be  proper 
perhaps,  to  assume  so  great  an  increase  for  so  long  a  period  as  the 
last.  Immigration  from  Europe  which  has  furnished  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  decennial  increment  must  diminish  whenever  labor  shall 
receive  the  same  reward  there  as  here,  and  the  political  institutions 
of  that  portion  of  the  world  are  made  to  conform  theoretically  and 
practically  as  near  to  the  Christian  standard  as  our  own.  This 
falling  off  in  the  immigration  from  the  East,  which  must  in  time 
take  place,  will  probably  be  compensated  for  by  accessions  from 
the  West.  So  that  for  thirty  years  at  least,  it  may  reasonably  be 
supposed  that  the  rate  of  increase  hitherto  maintained  will  con- 
tinue, and  that  it  will  not  be  greatly  diminished  until  some  time  af- 
ter that  period.  In  the  above  estimate  our  territorial  limits  are 
supposed  to  continue  unchanged. 

From  what  is  known  of  the  capabilities  of  the  several  portions 
of  the  territory  now  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  United 
States  to  sustain  a  given  population,  combined  with  the  attrac- 
tions they  offer  for  improvement  and  settlement,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
see  where  the  larger  portion  of  the  thirty  or  forty  millions  of  in- 
crease in  that  period  will  be  located. 

East  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  it  will  be  found  mostly  in  the 
northern  and  midd'e  States,  and  in  that  vast  and  fertile  region, 
stretching  northward  and  westward  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio, 
the  entire  distance  to  the  Lakes  and  the  mountains,  covering  the 
whole  extent  of  the  Missouri  valley.  West  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains the  bulk  of  the  population  will  be  found  north  of  the  Bay  of 
San  Francisco,  in  Northern  California,  Oregon  and  Washington. 

In  1790  when  the  first  census  was  taken,  the  centre  of  popula- 
tion of  the  United  States,  was  not  far  from  the  head  of  Chosa. 
peake  Buy.  The  population  East  and  West  and  North  and  South 
of  that  point,  was  at  that  time  the  same.  The  subsequent  increase 
has  caused  this  central  point  to  move  westward  and  nortliward, 
until  it  reached  Pittsburg  in  Pennsylvania.  From  thence  its  path 
has  ioolijjc'd  a  little  to  the  south  and  at  the  last  census  its  location 
was  not  fur  fr<  ...  Stcubonville,  in  Ohio.     , 


I  '} 


164 


Ic  is  quite  evident  from  an  inspection  of  the  map  that  its  course 
henceforth  will,  for  a  time,  be  nearlv  due  west,  after  which  it  will 
incline  rather  to  the  north,  passing  nearer  to  Chicago  than  to  St. 
J^ouis,  and  may  ultimately  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, beyond  which  it  is  not  probable  it  will  ever  pass. 

The  line  thus  described  marks  the  westward  movement  of  the 
population  in  respect  to  numbers  solely.  A  similar  line  drawn  so 
as  to  represent  not  only  the  population  numerically,  but  the 
capacity  of  the  several  portions  to  produce  exchangable  wealth, 
would  lie  still  fai'thor  to  the  North.  The  productiveness  of  the 
Eastern  and  Northern  States  is  vastly  increased  relatively  by  the 
greater  amount  of  steam  and  hydraulic  power  and  greater  number 
of  labor  saving  machines  in  use  in  the  arts,  whether  operating  on 
the  land  or  on  the  water.  This  condition  of  things  gives  to  that 
portion  of  the  Union  an  importance  commercially,  far  beyond  what 
is  due  to  any  numerical  estimate  of  the  population. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  that  whether  we  view  the  pro- 
posed Northern  route  for  the  Pacific  railroad  in  respect  to  the  re- 
gion through  which  it  passes  near  its  two  extremities,  or  midway 
between  the  latter,  throughout  its  entire  length,  it  occupies  the 
best  position  for  accommodating  the  great  mass  of  the  population 
of  the  Union  both  at  the  present  time  and  for  an  indefinite  period 
after  it  shall  be  completed  and  in  operation. 

In  a  commercial  view  in  tracing  the  path  of  the  centre  of  popu- 
lation of  the  United  States  it  would  have  been  proper  to  have  in- 
cluded that  of  the  British  Possessions  adjacent.  This  would  have 
carried  it  still  farther  to  the  North,  passing  ultimately  nearer  the 
Southern  extremity  of  Lake  Michigan  and  making  more  evident 
the  superiority  in  position  of  the  Northern  route. 

The  Canudas  are  now  advancing  rapidly  in  population  and 
wealth.  The  ratio  of  increase  in  the  population  of  Canada  West 
within  the  last  ton  years  has  boon  much  greater  tha'  in  the  adja- 
cent States  of  the  Union  in  the  same  period.  The  population  of 
both  ill  January,  1852,  was  1,842,205.  In  the  whole  of  British 
North  America  it  now  amounts  probably  to  about  three  millions. 


155 


English  capital  is  being  freely  expended  in  carrj'ing  out  a  system 
of  internal  improvements  and  extending  the  advantages  of  improved 
communications  to  all  the  settled  portions  of  British  North  Amer- 
ica. The  lines  of  railroad  now  completed  and  in  progress  amount 
in  the  aggregate  to  about  1200  miles,  involving  an  expenditure  of 
over  fifty  millions  of  dollars,  all  of  which  will  become  directly 
tributary  to  the  Northern  route  to  the  Pacific. 

Owing  to  the  great  diversity  in  the  productions  of  the  two 
countries,  the  commercial  relations  between  tihe  Canadas  and  the 
United  States  must  be  constantly  growing  stronger,  until  their  in- 
terests shall  be  so  identified,  aided  by  a  common  language  and 
origin  and  the  attractions  of  a  free  government,  ^s  not  to  be  separ- 
ated by  any  transatlantic  influence.  Great  Britain  profiting  by 
past  experience  is  disposed  to  yield  to  her  Canadian  Possessions  a 
large  measure  of  freedom.  These  concessions  must  continue,  and 
to  such  an  extent,  that  in  time,  the  Canadas  will  virtually  if  not 
nominally  be  rendered  independent  of  the  mother  country,  and 
thus  a  more  complete  identity  of  interest  and  of  feeling  will  exist 
between  them  and  the  free  States  of  America,  than  can  possibly 
be  maintained  with  any  European  power. 

"While  these  events  are  ripening  the  Canadas  will  be  acquiring 
population  and  wealth.  Numerous  flourishing  towns  and  cities 
will  spring  up  on  the  northern  shores  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the 
Lakes,  and  they  will  contribute  a  vast  amount  of  travel  and  busi- 
ness to  the  proposed  Northern  road  to  the  Pacific ;  add  to  tliis  the 
peculiar  advantageous  position  of  the  proposed  road,  affording  tho 
most  direct,  speedy  and  cheap  communication  between  Europe, 
with  its  millions  of  inhabitants  on  the  one  side,  and  Asia  still  more 
populous  on  the  other,  and  tho  project  assumes  an  importance 
transcending  any  estimate  which  may  have  been  put  upon  it  as  a 
National  work.  It  becomes  in  fact  tho  World's  Highway^  over 
which  will  pass  the  travel  and  much  of  the  trade  of  the  most  en- 
lightened and  civilized  portions  of  the  globe. 


W 


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1:,: 


sUvv  .,•  .'v;  ,VV  i'  u-i  ^>      ■    iiVi'".:' 


SUPPLEMENT 


TO  SECOND  EDITION. 


■5     '  <     '_ 


When  the  first  edition  of  the  preceding  was  prepared  for  the 
Press,  or  for  publication  in  the  Railroad  Journal,  no  returns  had 
been  received  from  the  surveys  then  but  recently  instituted  by 
the  General  Government  for  exploring  the  several  contemplated 
routes  to  the  Pacific. 

Intelligence  has  since  been  received  from  the  several  parties  en- 
gaged in  these  surveys,  and  also  fro  n  other  sources,  giving  partial 
information  in  respect  to  particular  and  prominent  points  on  each  of 
the  routes ;  all  serving,  to  confirm  very  fully  and  satisfactorily  the 
correctness  of  the  descriptions  and  conclusions  arrived  at  in  regard 
to  their  general  character. 

Upon  the  Northern  route  Lieut.  R.  Saxton  who  had  been  dis- 
patched from  the  Pacific  with  supplies,  fortunately  met  Gov. 
Stevens  and  party  at  the  Falls  of  the  Missouri.  The  former  in 
passing  the  mountains,  made  a  measurement  of  the  elevation  of  the 
main  summit,  the  result  of  which  has  been  given  to  the  public  in  a 
communication  from  Gov.  Stevens,  who  says,  that  "  Liout.  Saston 
reports  Cadots  (Lewis  ?)  Pass  to  bo  some  2,500  feet  lower  than 
the  South  P?3S." 

The  South  Pass,  by  the  first  measurement  of  Col.  Fremont, 

167 


4*'' 


ik 


168 


was  ascertainod  to  be  not  far  from  7,000  feet  above  the  sea.  A 
second  measurement  by  the  same  gentleman,  which  was  considered 
the  most  accurate,  gave  7,490  feet  Deducting  from  this  2,500 
feet  leaves  4,990  feet. 

It  is  now  understood  that  the  measurement  of  the  main  summit 
by  Lieut.  Saxton  gave  for  its  elevation  4,674  feet  only  above  the 
sea.  The  barometer  (an  aneroidj  used  by  him  is  supposed  to  be 
more  liable  to  error  than  any  other,  and  with  any  instrument  of 
the  kind  the  greatest  care  and  frequent  repetition  of  the  observa- 
tions are  necessary  to  ensure  a  proper  degree  of  accuracy  in  the 
results,  both  of  which  are  inconsistent  with  a  hurried  march  for  u 
long  distance  over  a  difficult  country,  such  as  Lieut.  Saxton  was 
compelled  to  make. 

Until,  therefore,  further  information  is  received,  it  would  not 
be  safe,  to  place  the  elevation  of  t.;e  main  summit  lower  than 
has  been  assumed  in  the  preceding  estimate  of  5,000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  (See  page  32.)  That  it  cann«>t  much, 
exceed  this,  seems  now  to  be  fully  demonstrated,  and  those 
who  have  doubted  the  superior  character  of  the  Northern  route 
from  apprehensions  of  a  much  greater  elevation  of  the  Pass 
through  the  mountains  will  now  ha\  3  their  doubts  removed.      '' 

The  correctness  of  the  estimated  elevation  of  the  couu  -y  be 
twesn  the  Mississippi  and  the  mountains  is  also  very  fully  con- 
firmed.      ••  ■    ■  '  •  ■  -  ,.'•■.    .J     ■    ■   ■  '-•  •■-^;r-<  '-■■ 

Gov.  Stevens  states  that  the  elevation  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellow  Stone  is  1,100  to  1,200  feet  above  Fort  Snelling  at  the 
!Mouth  of  the  St  Peters  on  the  Mississippi.  Nicolet  makes  the 
level  of  the  plateau  on  which  Fort  Snelling  stands,  850  feet  above 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  This  gives  for  the  elevation  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Yellow  Stone  2,000  feet  nearly,  above  the  same  level.  The 
estimate  previously  made  of  this  point  is  2,040  feet  as  will  be  seen 
by  retbrcnco  to  page  22.    ,    •         '        '  •     ,-  (  , . 'T  . .-   m  ;''. 

Mr.  I.  Doty,  a  member  of  Gov.  Stevens'  party,  in  a  letter  re- 
cently published,  says  that  "  the  summit  level  between  the  Missouri 
and  Mississippi  is  1,200  feet"    "Whether  this  is  to  be  understood 


159 

as  reforing  to  Fort  Snelling  as  a  base  or  to  the  place  of  depar- 
ture of  the  Survey  from  the  Mississippi,  viz,  the  Sauk  Rapids,  is 
not  stated.  If  the  latter,  it  gives  for  the  elevation  of  the  highest 
part  of  the  Coteau  du  Missouri  2,200  feet.  If  the  former,  about 
2, 1 50  feet,  both  being  less  than  the  estimate  previously  made  which 
was  2,300  feet.     (See  page  20) 

In  respect  to  the  actual  elevation  of  the  crossing  of  Red  River 
no  information  has  yet  been  received,  but  the  known  height  of 
Lake  Winnepeg  (853  feet,  see  page  19,)  and  good  navigable  char- 
acter of  the  river,  the  head  of  navigation  being  in  lat.  46i°  N. 
where  the  proposed  route  crosses  it,  renders  it  quite  certain  that 
the  estimated  elevation  of  that  crossing  is  not  very  wide  of  the 
truth. 

The  elevation  of  the  ground  at  the  Hauteurs  dcs  tcrreSy  is  known 
as  already  stated  from  Nicolet's  measurements,  and  is  about  1,700 
feet  above  the  sea. 

West  of  the  mountains  the  elevation  of  the  surface,  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Columbia,  was  given  from  what  was  deemed  very  good 
authority.  The  measurements  of  Lieut.  Saxton,  indicate  a  sonu'- 
what  loWer  elevation  for  this  portion.  The  difference,  if  it  exists,  is 
still  more  favorable  to  the  general  character  of  the  route 

A  letter  from  Portland,  Oregon,  dated  Nov.  24,  1853,  states 
tliat  the  parties  engaged  in  the  surveys,  have  just  arrived, 
and  report  "  the  whole  line  of  the  route  feasible  for  the  great 
Pacific  Railroad,  having  found  two  Passes  through  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  two  through  the  Cascade  Range,  making  it  prac- 
ticable to  the  magnificent  waters  of  Paget  Sound."  *  *  "  Xc) 
fears  are  entertained  by  the  party,  as  ti>  the  obstruction  of  the 
Road  on  account  of  the  snows  on  the  mountains." 

The  i)receding  is  confirmed  by  the  following  from  Gov.  Stevens 
under  date  of  Olympia,  W.  T.,  Dec.  5,  '  853 :  "  After  a  long  and 
arduous  journey  across  the  country,  my  i>  ty  has  at  length  reached 
Fort  Vancouver  in  good  health  and  spirits,  having  made  a  thorough 
survey  of  the  route,  and  being  convinceu  <  ^  its  entire  practica- 
bility.    Our  success  has  been  greater    liau  \vc  anticipated.     The 


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160 


country  throughout  is  well  wooded  and  watered,  and  admirably 
adapted  to  settlement  and  cultivation.  It  furnishes  inexhaustible 
supplies  of  wood  and  stone  for  building  materials.  The  rivers 
and  streams  are  such  as  can  be  easily  bridged.  In  each  of  the 
Mountain  Ranges  we  have  discovered  two  Passes,  presenting  no 
serious  obstructions,  and  through  which  a  Eailroad  can  be  easily 
conducted.  The  amount  of  tuuneling  is  small,  not  probably 
exceeding  in  the  whole  route  two  miles.  No  untoward  accident 
has  occurred  during  the  whole  journey  to  interrupt  or  throw  a 
shade  over  our  labors." 

From  the  partial  report  of  Gov.  Stevens  to  the  "War  Depart- 
ment of  a  similar  date  to  the  above,  is  obtained  the  following  as 
given  in  the  columns  of  the  New  York  Courier  and  Enquirer  of 
Jan.  18,  1854. 

The  general  character  of  the  country  between  the  Mississippi 
river  and  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone,  "is  a  level,  open  prairie, 
with  a  sufficient  supply  of  timber,  occurring  in  groves  and  the 
river  bottoms  for  the  purposes  of  the  road."  "  Coal  was  also  found 
in  great  abundance." 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone  Gov.  Stevens  proceeded 
westward  along  the  Milk  river  valley  to  Fort  Benton.  This  valley 
is  "  very  broad  and  densely  timbered."  From  thence  he  crossed 
the  Rocky  mountains  through  Cadot's  Pass,  the  return  route  of 
Capt  Lewis  in  1805,  which  he  found  to  bo  1,500  feet  lower  than 
the  South  Pass,  alluding,  probably,  to  the  firet  measurement  of 
the  latter  by  Col  Fremont.  Cadot's  Pass  is  stated  to  be  "  even 
now  traversable  by  wagons.  The  party  had  one  wagon  with 
them  on  this  part  of  their  rou*e."  "They  crossed  the  mountains 
between  the  middle  and  the  end  of  September  and  saw  no  snow."  " 

West  of  the  mountiiins  the  country  as  anticipated  is  not  as  favor- 
able, the  surface  being  more  irregular.  This  portion  was  under 
the  immediate  charge  of  Capt.  McClellan  who  gives  "  a  favorable 
account  of  it  for  the  construction  of  a  Railroad."  The  distance 
from  the  Mississippi  to  Olympia  which  is  situated  at  the  southem 
extremity  of  Puget  Sound  is  stated  to  be  1800  miles.    Had  the 


161 


line  been  carried  to  the  nearest  point  on  the  Pacific  waters,  the  (dis- 
tance would  have  been  about  1,700  miles,  as  derived  from  odometer 
measurement.  This  is  100  miles  more  than  the  estimate  on 
page  47. 

It  is  stated  that  "  the  grade  or  rate  of  ascent,  even  in  crossing 
tho  Rocky  Mountains,  will  not  exceed  forty  feet  to  the  mile."  The 
maximum  as  estimated  at  page  40,  is  50  or  60  feet  per  mile.  It  is 
further  stated  that  "  on  no  part  of  the  route  need  stations  for  wood 
and  water  be  more  than  fifteen  miles  distant  from  one  another." 
"  And  on  the  whole  line  but  one  tunnel  will  be  required  which  will 
be  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  length."  It  is  supposed  that  "  the 
snow  will  be  no  formidable  obstacle,  because  the  Indians  of  Oregon 
and  Washington  Territories  habitually  cross  the  mountains  late  in 
the  fall,  to  hunt  the  buflfalo  in  the  eastern  plains,  and  do  not  return 
until  the  first  or  middle  of  January."  This  is  confirmatory  of  the 
statements  of  Lewis  and  Clark  and  of  Capt.  Bonneville  as  related 
in  the  first  edition. 

It  thus  appears  that  at  all  those  points  where  any  doubt  could 
reasonably  be  entertained  of  the  practicability  of  the  Northern 
Boute,  the  survey  of  Gov.  Stevens  fully  confirms  the  correct- 
ness of  the  conclusions  arrived  at  in  the  preceding  pages,  of 
its  entire  feasibility  and  suitableness  for  the  construction  of  a  Rail- 
road, and  of  the  character  of  the  country  for  sustaining  it  when 
built. 

From  the  other  routes  upon  which  surveys  have  been  ordered 
by  the  Government,  but  few  returns  have  been  received.  Senator 
Gwin  in  some  remarks  made  by  him  to  tho  Senate  on  the  12th  of 
Dec,  1853,  quotes  the  following  from  the  journal  of  tho  late  Capt. 
Gunnison,  who  had  charge  of  the  explorations  on  the  route  from 
St.  Louis  by  the  Upper  Del  Norte. 

"  Aug.  11.  Within  a  mile  of  the  summit  of  Sangro  do  Cristo. 
Elevation  8,400  feet" 

"  Aug.  12.  We  have  at  last  reached  the  highest  point  on  this 
part  of  tho  route.  By  a  rough  calculation  I  make  the  elevation 
8,800  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea."  ... 

IJ.  ■'  ■  .V 


162 


After  having  passed  the  valley  of  the  Del  Norte  on  reaching  the 
summit  of  the  Cochatope  Pass,  Capt.  G.  thus  writes :  "  At  one 
o'clock  Sept.  1,  1853,  we  stood  upon  the  ridge  dividing  the  waters 
of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans.  A  storm  of  rain  and  hail 
passed  over  us,  and  as  barometrical  observations  had  to  be  taken, 
we  built  a  fire.  From  these  observations  I  make  our  height 
11,082  feet  above  the  sea."  -•    .  ^ 

These  elevations  are  much  higher  than  was  assumed  when  com- 
paring this  route  with  others. 

It  was  shown  on  page  127,  that  the  valley  at  the  head  of  the  Del 
Norte  was  probably  not  less  than  8,000  feet.  The  Cochatope  sum- 
mit was  believed  to  be  more  than  that.  It  is  now  known  to  be 
3,000  feet  higher,  and  the  summit  in  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  mountain, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Del  Norte  is  also  higher  by  800  feet,  and 
feet  higher  than  the  South  Pass.  From  the  latter  summit  it  ap- 
pears 1,300  that  the  descent  is  rapid  towards  the  east  being  400 
feet  in  the  first  mile. 

When  Col.  Frement  ascended  the  peak  which  bears  his  name, 
he  found  the  line  of  perpetual  snow  at  the  height  of  10,000  feet 
This  was  in  latitude  43°  N.  nearly.  The  Cochatope  Pass  is  about 
four  degrees  farther  south.  The  difierence  in  latitude  will  place 
the  snow  limit  1,500  to  2,000  feet  higher,  not  so  much  higher  as 
to  prevent  the  Pass  from  being  inconveniently  near  the  line  of  per- 
petual congelation ;  so  near  to  it,  joined  to  the  greater  humidity  of 
the  air  in  winter,  as  to  make  the  snows  and  the  cold  a  very  serious 
if  not  insurmountable  obstacle  to  that  route,  aside  from  the  very 
great  elevation  to  be  overcome. 

Capt.  Gunnison  was  preceded  in  his  explorations  of  this  route 
by  the  expedition  of  Supt.  Beale,  the  Journal  of  which  was  kept  by 
G.  H.  Heap.  On  the  18th  of  June  this  party  reached  the  Cochat- 
ope Pass.  On  the  20th  they  were  still  on  very  elevated  ground  as 
they  met  "some  small  patches  of  snow  near  their  trail"  From 
thence  to  the  Vegas  of  Santa  Clara,  they  met  with  difliculties  in  the 
character  of  the  streams  and  of  the  country,  much  of  which  was 
barren  and  rocky  and  apparently  not  very  favorable  as  a  route  for 
a  Eailroad.  • ' 


163 


From  Santa  Clara  their  course  was  south-west  to  the  mountains, 
which  they  crossed  at  the  Cajon  Pass  which  leads  to  Los  Angelos. 
The  country  in  this  distance  is  very  much  as  described  by  Fre- 
mont and  others. 

For  over  300  miles  they  travelled  a  desolate  region  unfit  for  any 
of  the  purposes  of  life.  On  the  10th  of  August  the  heat  was  so 
intense  "  as  to  render  it  dangerous  to  travel  by  day,"  and  at  night 
"a  hot  wind  blew  from  the  southward."  On  the  13th  they  found 
the  remains  of  an  American,  "his  buckskin  garments  not  having 
been  wet  by  the  rain,  proved  that  he  had  been  killed  this  season^ 
On  the  14th  from  a  steep  ridge,  a  magnificent  but  solemn  and 
dreaiy  view  presented  itself.  Four  ranges  of  mountains  overtop- 
ping each  other,  extended  from  the  north  to  the  south,  and  bounded 
the  western  horizon.  To  the  eastward  was  spread  a  wide  extent 
of  country  which  oflfered  in  every  direction  the  same  absence  of 
timber  and  almost  of  vej^ttation.  The  solitude  was  unrelieve.l  h^ 
the  song  of  a  bird  or  the  chirp  of  an  insect.  The  mournful  mur- 
mur of  the  breeze  as  it  swept  over  the  desert,  was  the  only  sound 
that  broke  the  silence."  On  the  15th  "the  heat  was  intense,  and 
instead  of  diminishing  as  the  sun  descended,  it  became  more  op- 
pressive. For  twelve  miles  the  road  was  over  deep  sand,  into 
which  the  mules  sank  above  their  fetlocks."  The  desert  from  this 
point  is  described  as  extending  150  miles  to  the  west.  On  the  16th 
"  the  heat  increased  as  they  advanced  into  the  desert.  The  guns 
which  we  carried  across  the  pummels  of  our  saddles  were  hot  to 
the  touch,  and  to  add  to  our  annoyance  and  suffering  the  wind, 
ladened  with  an  impalpable  sand,  blew  fiercely  from  the  southward, 
feeling  as  if  issuing  from  the  mouth  of  a  furnace,  and  obliterating 
in  many  places  all  traces  of  the  road.  Tho  mules  already  jaded 
by  travelling  across  the  sandy  plain,  went  slowly  along,  their  heads 
drooping  to  the  ground.  The  pale  moon  occasionally  overshad- 
owed by  clouds,  threw  a  ghastly  light  over  the  desert,  and  bones 
glistening  in  her  beams  strewed  the  way,  adding  horror  to  the 


fioene. 


M 


On  the  17th  during  the  night  we  had  "a  heavy  storm,  the  howl- 


164 


ing  wind  was  hot  and  filled  with  sand,  and  the  rain  fell  in  large 
drops  without  refresliing  the  air."  "The  Delaware  killed  a  rabbit, 
the  first  of  any  game  we  had  seen  for  a  long  time."  "  The  desert 
retained  its  level  and  monotonous  character  until  we  arrived  at  the 
Mohave/i  river,  our  aniuials  aliuust  porislung  from  hunger  and 
thirst."  "  The  sandy  soil  through  which  the  MohaveZt  flows,  ab- 
sorbs nearly  all  of  its  water,  and'  when  we  reached  it,  it  was  no 
longer  a  running  stream  " 

Aug.  19.  The  road  was  through  heavy  sand.  On  the  20th 
crossed  the  Mohave,  75  feet  wide  and  1  foot  deep,  and  its  water 
"was  too  warm  to  be  drinkable."  "The  distance  reached  from 
Westport,  Mo.,  this  day  was,  by  the  estimate,  1,772  miles."  The 
next  day  the  party  reached  the  Cajon  Pass,  six  miles  further,  and 
descended  to  Los  Angelos. 

In  consequence  of  the  detention  for  some  days  of  Capt.  Beale 
and  party  at  Grand  river,  where  they  were  so  unfortunate  as  to 
lose  their  arms  and  provisions  by  the  upsetting  of  a  canoe,  and  the 
slow  progress  made  over  the  sandy  and  heated  surface  west  of  the 
Colorado,  and  the  necessity  of  making  direct  for  Los  Angelos, 
their  friends  from  San  Francisco,  who  designed  to  meet  them  at 
Walker's  Pass  of  the  Nevada,  were  disappointed.  At  the  head  of 
this  party  was  H.  Edwards,  Esq ,  acting  Indian  Agent.  In  the 
narrative  of  this  expedition  published  in  the  San  Francisco 
Herald,  it  is  stated  that  from  Walker's  Pass  at  the  head  of 
Kern  river,  the  Eesert  which  spreads  ofl'  at  the  east  appeared 
aa  an  "unbroken  plain  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  with- 
out sign  of  vegetation,  save  here  and  there  tall  columns  of  convo- 
luted masses  of  the  cactus  From  the  summit  of  the  Pass  far  to 
the  south-east,  a  distance  jf  150  miles,  may  be  seen  the  Black 
Mountain  which  the  famous  mountaineer  Godey  informed  Mr.  Ed- 
wards marked  the  line  of  the  Mohave/i.  Godey  had  once  attempted 
to  cross  the  Desert  from  the  Pass  to  the  river,  but  not  a  blade  of 
grass,  nor  a  drop  of  water  could  bo  found  on  the  route,  and  he 
was  compelled  tr  turn  back  and  strike  for  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
mountain  again,  to  save  himself  from  perishing.    No  spurs  start 


165 


out  from  the  Sierra  into  the  Desert,  although  to  the  south-east,  faf 
out  upon  the  plain,  may  be  seen  isolated  buttes,  and  occasionally 
a  short  mountain  called  by  travellers  the  Lost  Mountains.  From 
the  commanding  point  at  the  Pass,  the  eye  could  discover  no  sign 
of  water  or  timber,  north,  east  or  south." 

Capt.  J.  Walker,  a  celebrated  mountaineer,  in  notes  of  a  trip 
across  the  Great  Basin,  recently  published  in  the  San  Francisco 
Herald,  gives  a  similar  description  of  the  Colorado  Desert  as  viewed 
from  the  "elevated  perch"  of  "Walker's  Pass.  It  is,  he  states,  "a 
barren  waste  of  sand,  with  here  and  there  a  growth  of  chemisal. 
The  cactus  is  sometimes  met  with."  The  Mohave  does  not  reach 
the  Colorado,  being  absorbed  in  the  sands.  Capt.  W.  states  that 
"  80  or  90  miles  north  of  Walker's  Pass  the  country  becomes  bro- 
ken, and  rugged  mountains  traverse  it  in  every  direction." 

He  passed  from  the  head  waters  of  the  Rio  Virgen  to  those  of 
the  Sevier,  or  Nicolet  river,  which  runs  north-westerly  into  Nicolet 
Lake,  and  says  the  country  between  "is  more  cut  up  than  any  he 
ever  met  with  on  this  continent."  "  It  is  torn  all  to  pieces  with 
canons."  The  waters  of  the  lower  part  of  the  Virgen  are  mostly 
absorbed  by  the  sands  of  the  desert  The  country  about  its  upper 
portion  is  represented  as  "  frightfully  repulsive."  Capt.  Walker 
thinks  the  Colorado  navigable  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Virgen,  and 
states  that  the  Big  Canon  of  the  Colorado  "  extends  uninterrupt- 
edly from  a  point  30  miles  above,  for  300  miles.  Its  sides  are 
lofty  blufts  almost  perpendicular.  The  waters  wash  up  against 
these  walls,  leaving  not  a  foot  of  slope  between."  The  canon  opens 
at  some  points  "  leaving  beautiful  little  valleys  a  little  above  the 
level  of  the  river,  but  hundreds  of  feet  below  the  tops  of  the 
canons."  The  country  between  the  Colorado  and  the  Rio  Grande 
del  Norte,  is  "  almost  a  desert  with  little  timber.  Grass  and  water 
very  scarce."  From  the  Colorado  he  followed  the  Rio  Colorado 
Chequito,  or  little  Red  River,  east  to  the  Rio  Del  Norte  at  Albu- 
querque, and  passed  in  his  course  a  mountain  of  salt. 

Capt.  F.  X.  Aubrey  traversed  in  July  last  the  route  from  the 
Tejon  Pass  direct  to  Zuni  and  Albuquerque.     At  67  miles  he 


166 


struck  the  Mohave  river,  which  takes  its  rise  in  the  San  Bernardi- 
no Mountains  to  the  south.  He  followed  the  river  easterly  38 
miles,  then  left  it  on  a  north-easterly  course,  to  avoid  the  sand  hills 
that  lay  in  an  easterly  direction,  the  river  bearing  more  to  the 
south.  At  the  distance  of  155  miles  he  came,  on  the  22d  of  July, 
to  the  Great  Colorado,  which  he  found  to  be  900  feet  wide,  with 
10  to  15  feet  of  water  in  the  channel,  and  current  rapid. 

His  description  of  the  country  from  the  Tejon  Pass  to  the  Colo- 
rado coincides  with  that  of  others.  This  entire  region  is  a  vast 
desert,  affording  scarcely  grass  and  water  sufficient  to  subsist  the 
animals  of  a  small  party  travelling  rapidly  over  its  sandy  and 
gravelly  surface.  At  the  crossing  of  the  Colorado  the  country 
was  rough  both  to  the  north  and  to  the  south.  In  the  former  direc- 
tion the  rocks  were  black  and  irregular,  and  seemed  to  be  volcanic. 
In  the  latter  they  seemed  to  be  of  sandstone.  Neither  timber  or 
grass  was  found  upon  the  river.  From  the  Colorado  east,  no  grass 
or  timber  was  seen  for  about  sixty  miles,  and  for  a  further  distance 
of  about  85  miles  there  was  no  water.  The  remaining  distance  of 
388  miles  to  Zuni,  was  much  of  it  over  a  broken  surface.  Eidges 
or  mountains  covered  wholly  or  partially  with  timber,  such  as  the 
cedar,  the  pine,  and  the  pinon,  were  noticed,  between  which 
the  ground  was  believed  to  be  practicable  for  a  railroad.  Water 
in  many  places  was  scarce,  and  the  soil  in  the  valleys  generally  in- 
ferior and  destitute  of  timber.  At  one  place  canons  were  met  with 
supposed  to  be  4,000  feet  deep,  the  bottoms  not  being  visible.  On 
the  banks  of  the  Colorado  gold  was  found,  and  at  one  or  two  other 
points  copper  and  silver  were  also  noticed.  When  175  miles  only 
from  Zuni  they  met  with  Indians  who  used  gold  bullets.  Whether 
these  were  the  product  of  the  country  or  obtained  by  the  murder 
of  miners  in  California  or  Sonora,  Capt.  A.  was  unable  to  discover. 
From  Zuni  to  Albuquerque  the  travelled  distance  is  145  miles." 

The  above  description  of  the  country  corresponds  very  nearly 
with  that  of  Capt.  Walker,  and  with  the  general  description  of  the 
same  region  given  by  Col.  Emory,  from  such  information  as  ho 
was  able  to  obtain  when  passhig  down  the  Del  Norte  and  the  Gila. 


167 


This  route  continued  to  Memphis  is  the  one  now  being  explored 
by  Lieut.  Whipple,  from  whom  no  returns  have  yet  been  received. 
The  general  character  of  the  surface  east  of  the  Eio  Del  Norte 
has  already  been  fully  described.  Cfipt.  Marcy  in  a  letter  to  the 
Memphis  Convention  places  the  western  limit  of  the  timber  on  this 
route  at  the  99th  degree  of  west  longitude,  which  corresponds 
with  the  information  derived  from  others.  West  of  this  line  "  there 
is  but  little  timber,  except  on  the  immediate  borders  of  the  water- 
courses. The  soil  becomes  thin  and  sandy,  and  owing  to  the  peri- 
odical drought  of  the  summer  season  it  cannot  be  made  available 
for  agriculture  without  the  aid  of  artificial  irrigation."  Capt.  M. 
imagines  there  will  be  but  little  diflSculty  so  far  as  the  surface  .of 
the  country  is  concerned,  in  constructing  a  railroad  from  Albu- 
querque to  St.  Louis."  The  distance  he  estimates  at  1,145  miles, 
and  to  Memphis  1,080  miles.  This  route  from  St.  Louis,  from 
present  appearances,  is  likely  to  prove  superior  to  any  which  can 
be  found  crossing  the  Del  Norte  farther  north. 

Capt.  Marcy  considers  the  line  from  Memphis  to  the  valley  of 
the  Eio  Grande  Del  Norte  at  El  Paso,  and  thence  to  the  Gila,  as 
superior  to  the  one  leading  through  Albuquerque.  He  states  that 
"the  arable  soil  on  this  route  extends  three  degrees  of  longitude 
further  west  than  upon  any  of  the  more  northerly  routes.  East  of 
the  Del  Norte  for  300  miles,  in  latitude  35  north,  is  "a  high  prairie 
plain,  intersected  by  three  ranges  of  mountains,  upon  which  there 
is  much  good  timber."  "After  passing  this  section  the  road  for 
300  miles  across  the  sources  of  the  Brazos  river  passes  through  a 
district  where  the  soil  is  good,  abundantly  watered,  and  covered 
for  the  most  part  with  a  heavy  growth  of  mesquit  wood  "  From 
thence  to  Memphis  the  country  is  similty  to  that  farther  north,  east 
of  the  longitude  of  99°  west.  Coal  is  said  to  be  found  near  Fort 
Belknap  on  the  Brazos  river.  It  is  also  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Spanish*  Peaks  east  of  the  Upper  Del  Norte,  and  at  several  points 

south.  -^■.^y  ,-<  \      i^>l'-t>rr-'''-     '--■•■■'' v''^>T   ■%/'{■'■'•:■- 

In  respect  to  the  most  southern  route  Mr.  Bartlett,  late  bound- 
ary commissioner,  furnishes  the  following  in  a  recent  letter  to  the 


V:=-K-m 


168 


President  of  the  Pacific  Eailroad  Company.  The  remarkable  de- 
pression in  the  mountain  range  between  the  Del  Norte  and  the 
Gila  is  embraced  in  a  belt  of  80  to  100  miles  in  width  from  latitude 
31  l-S*'  to  32  1-2°  N.  Within  this  space  is  an  elevated  plateau 
4,500  to  5,000  feet  above  the  sea,  covered  with  short  isolated 
ridges  or  mountains  1,000  to  2,000  feet  in  height. 

A  line  of  railroad  carried  across  to  the  Pacific  through  this  re- 
gion must  pass  into  Mexican  territory  west  of  the  San  Pedro,  the 
valley  of  the  Gila  being  impracticable,  in  which  opinion  Mr.  B.  is 
supported  by  Lieut.  Whipple.  West  of  the  San  Pedro  are  moun- 
tains across  which  Mr.  B.  supposes  there  is  a  practicable  pass  for 
a>  railroad. 

The  Tucson  Desert  west  of  these  mountains  is  100  to  120  miles 
across,  and  the  distance  to  the  Colorado  250  miles. 

The  Colorado  at  Fort  Yuma  is  600  feet  wide  and  4  to  5  feet 
deep  in  the  dry  season.  This  is  a  much  less  section  than  given  by 
Col.  Emory,  (see  p.  121.)  The  observations  of  different  observers 
vary  very  considerably,  owing  in  part  doubtless  to  the  great  fluc- 
tuations of  the  stream,  and  in  part  perhaps  to  the  shifting  charac- 
ter of  the  bars,  produced  by  the  sands  from  the  Desert  above. 

The  Desert  west  of  the  Colorado  is  "  100  miles  across,  and  in- 
creases in  width  towards  the  north."  It  is  "destitute  of  wood, 
water,  and  grass,  and  presents  a  hard  level  surface."  The  belt  of 
moving  sand  west  of  the  Colorado  extends  12  miles  below  Fort 
Yuma  into  Mexican  territory,  from  which  point  it  widens  off  to- 
wards the  north.      '      '  ^ 

Mr.  B.  states  that  "  the  great  plains,  plateaus  and  deserts  to 
which  he  has  alluded,  are  without  wood.  They  are  also  nearly 
destitute  of  Water  and  gr^ss."  Pine  timber  is  found  in  one  place 
near  the  copper  mines  in  lat.  32®  35'  N.,  together  with  small  oaks 
and  cedars.  Other  mountain  ranges  are  similarly  wooded,  and 
there  are  some  valleys  thickly  covered  with  mesquit.  Steamers 
with  a  light  draught  of  water  can  ascend  the  Colorado  100  miles 
from  Fort  Yuma,  but  the  Gila  can  only  be  navigated  in  high  water. 
Flat-bottomed  boats  may  possibly  pass  up  to  the  Salinos,  180 
miles. 


169 


Mr.  B.  states  that  "any  route  south  of  the  parallel  of  34^°  must 
cross  the  great  I2ano  JSstacado  (staked  plain)  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  which  increases  much  in  width  above  the  32d  parallel." 
He  "crossed  it  about  31^°  to  the  Pecos,  a  distance  of  70  miles, 
without  water."  A  degree  farther  north  "its  width  is  more  than 
doubled."  He  states  that  "  the  region  between  the  Pecos  and  the 
Rio  Grande  Del  Norte  is  equally  barren,  (as  far  as  known,)  and  must 
also  be  crossed  by  any  route  south  of  the  34th  parallel." 

The  several  authorities  quoted  above  fully  confirm  what  was 
stated  in  the  first  edition  in  respect  to  the  physical  character  of  the 
vast  region  which  lies  between  the  long,  of  about  100'  W.  and  the 
Sierra  I)  evada  and  San  Bernardino  mountains,  embracing  a  distance 
of  over  1,000  miles  upon  any  of  the  projected  routes  proceeding 
from  St.  Louis,  or  any  point  south,  to  San  Francisco  or  San  Diego. 

Much  the  greater  portion  of  this  immense  region  is  destitute  of 
timber,  and  where  found  upon  the  rocky  slopes  of  the  mountains, 
is  diflScult  to  obtain.  Large  tracts  are  wholly  destitute  of  water, 
and  no  portion  of  the  surface  can  be  cultivated  except  by  irriga- 
tion; the  means  for  doing  which  are  greatly  limited  in  the  dry  sea- 
son, the  streams  at  no  time  large  or  numerous,  being  then  very 
much  reduced  in  number  and  size. 

A  large  portion  of  the  surface  west  of  the  Colorado  is  a  waste 
of  drifting  sands.  The  remainder  of  this  desert,  according  to  Mr. 
Bartlett,  "presents  a  hard  level  surface;"  a  hardness  which  in  all 
places  where  it  occurs  as  fa:*  east  as  the  eastern  limit  of  the  "staked 
plain,"  appears  to  be  the  joint  eflfect  of  great  heat  with  little  mois- 
ture upon  a  soil  having  a  suflBcient  admixture  of  clay  for  the  pur- 
pose; a  condition  which,  owing  to  the  dryness  of  the  climate,  it 
may  be  hazardous  in  many  places  to  disturb,  either  for  the  purpose 
of  culture  or  the  grading  of  a  railroad.  The  Desert  west  of  the 
Colorado  may  have  a  tolerably  even  surface,  but  cannot  be  so  level 
as  Mr.  B.  intimates.  The  Pass  of  the  vSan  Bernardino  Mountains 
is  3,000  feet  above  the  sea,  according  to  Col.  Emory,  and  the  over- 
hanging cliffs  are  3,000  feet  higher  still.  The  Pass  cannot  be  very 
far  from  the  western  limit  of  the  Desert,  and  hence  that  limit  must 


170 

be  sufficiently  elevated  to  give  to  the  surface  of  the  Desert  a  very 
considerable  inclination.  Notwithstanding  the  apparent  evenness 
of  the  surface  upon  the  plains,  plateaus  and  deserts  where  they 
occur  upon  any  of  the  routes,  that  surface  must  probably  be  broken 
up  in  constructing  a  railroad,  and  excavations  and  embankments 
made  to  a  far  greater  extent  than  would  be  supposed  necessary 
to  an  inexperienced  eye.  From  near  the  San  Bernardino  Pass  to 
a  point  eighty  miles  up  the  Gila,  according  to  Maj.  Andrews,  no 
building  stone  is  to  be  found.  . 

The  difficulties  of  constructing,  maintaining  and  operating  a 
railway  in  a  region  such  as  is  found  for  most  of  the  distance  be- 
tween long.  100°  W.  and  the  Pacific,  and  the  impossibility  of  col- 
lecting in  its  vicinity  a  population  such  as  is  needful  for  the  support 
and  security  of  the  road  when  built,  have  already  been  sufficiently 
considered  in  another  place. 

In  respect  to  the  passage  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  the 
difficulties  are  found  to  be  greater  than  was  supposed.  Lieutenant 
"Williamson,  writing  from  Pos^  creek,  six  miles  north  of  Kern 
river  near  Kern  lake,  says  "  the  Tejon  Pass  has  its  summit  about 
4,500  feet  above  Kern  lake,  i?.nd  nearly  all  of  this  ascent  is  to  be 
gained  in  ten  miles,  or  must  be  reduced  by  tunnelling."  This  is 
an  average  ascent  of  450  feet  per  mile. 

If  the  gradient  is  allowed  to  ascend  at  the  unprecedented  rate 
of  150  feet  per  mile,  the  tunnel  at  the  summit  will  be  3,000  feet 
below  the  surface !  Lieut.  W.  might  have  said  that  in  addition 
to  any  possible  reduction  by  tunnelling,  it  would  probably  be  ne- 
cessary to  resort  to  stationary  power. 

Near  the  Tejon  Pass,  is  the  Pass  de  los  Uras,  1,400  feet  lower, 
notwithstanding  which  Lieut.  Williamson  appears  to  be  of  opinion 
that  tho  best  point  for  crossing  is  by  "one  of  the  Passes  loading 
into  the  Tejon.-'  He  "conceives  Walker's  Pass  to  be  almost  out 
of  the  question," — "  not  as  good,  and  badly  situated."  The  eleva- 
tion of  Kern  lake  is  not  given;  but  as  it  lies  near  the  head  of  the 
Tulare  and  San  Joaquin  valleys,  it  must  have  a  height  sufficient  to 
give  the  Tejon  Pass  an  elevation  of  not  less  than  5,000  feet  above 


171 


IS 


3r, 


the  sea,  which  was  the  height  assumed  (p.  123)  for  "Walker's  Pass, 
which  is  known  to  be  higher  than  the  Tejon. 

Lieut.  Stoneham  in  a  letter  to  Maj,  Cross  dated  Pos^  creek, 
(Tulare  valley,)  Aug.  23,  1853,  states,  that  from  the  Tejon  Pass  to 
the  northern  extremity  of  the  valley,  the  distance  by  the  road  is 
197  miles;  direct  distance  150  miles. 

"  Through  the  whole  length  of  this  valley  runs  a  Tula  marsh, 
which  expands  in  some  places  into  lakes."  These  at  times  are 
connected  by  sluggish  streams,  and  at  others  not  so.  "  The  whole 
of  that  portion  of  the  valley  which  lies  west  of  the  Tula  Lakes  is 
worthless  in  the  extreme."  "The  proportion  of  this  immense 
'  valley,  which  can  possibly  be  looked  upon  as  inhabitable,  is  small 
indeed.  In  all  not  more  than  375  square  miles,  or  one-twentieth 
part."  With  the  exception  of  certain  places  mentioned,  "there  is 
no  timber  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  whole  valley." 

The  length  being  150  miles,  the  average  breadth  of  the  portion 
which  has  any  value  is  25  miles !  And  this  extends  half  way  from 
the  Tejon  Pass  to  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  in  a  valley  which  is 
said  to  surpass  greatly  in  its  arable  character  the  region  lying  to 
the  west  of  it  between  the  Coast  Bange  and  the  sea.  The  San 
Joaquin  is  but  little  superior  in  character  to  the  Tulare  valley. 
The  mean  breadth  of  the  arable  or  productive  portion  is  said  to 
be  greater,  but  the  proportion  of  the  latter  is  quite  limited,  com- 
pared to  the  great  extent  of  barren  and  worthless  surface.  The 
portions  of  these  valleys  which  appear  to  have  any  value  for  cul- 
ture are  those  only  which  are  or  can  be  watered  by  the  streams 
which  are  formed  or  increased  by  the  melting  of  the  snows  in  Juno 
and  July  on  the  mountain  heights  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

The  Bill  now  before  Congress  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  the 
portion  of  the  proposed  Pacific  Kailroad  within  the  limits  of  Cali- 
fornia, appropriates  every  alternate  section  of  land  for  a  width  of 
fwty  miles  througiiout  its  entire  length.  The  provision  in  other 
similar  Bills  of  doubling  the  price  of  the  sections  retained  by  the 
Government  is  not  embraced  in  this.  The  road  contemplated  by 
the  Bill  extends  the  entire  length  of  the  State.    The  grant  proposed 


I 


172 

is  j)robably  not  too  liberal  for  the  purpose.  It  shows  how  little  is 
the  value  placed  upon  the  country  for  settlement  or  for  any  other 
purpose. 

This  peculiar  character  of  the  country  lying  to  the  south  of  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  so  remarkable  for  its  limited  agricultural 
resources,  and  consequent  Umited  ability  to  sustain  within  itself  a 
very  large  population,  should  not  be  overlooked  in  considering  the 
ultimate  destiny  of  the  city  which  stands  at  its  entrance,  and  as- 
pires to  be  the  great  commercial  mart  of  the  Pacific. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  mountains,  it  has  been  shown,  present  to- 
wards the  east  an  almost  insurmountable  barrier  to  the  opening  of 
a  communication  with  the  interior  in  that  direction.* 

Beyond  the  Nevada  Mountains  lies  the  barren  waste  of  the  Great 
Basin,  stretching  on  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  to  the  south-east, 
the  arid  and  sandy  plains  of  the  lower  Colorado.  The  valleys  and 
slopes  lying  between  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  Coast  Range,  and 
between  the  latter  and  the  sea,  are  limited  in  extent,  and  but  a 
small  portion  of  the  surface  thus  limited,  can  be  made  productive 
What  is  true  in  this  respect  of  Southern  California  is  also  true, 
though  not  in  so  great  a  degree,  of  Northern  California.  The 
Sacramento  valley  embraces  within  its  borders  the  best  timbered 
and  most  productive  lands  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  it  is 
here  tbat  most  of  the  population  of  California,  out  of  the  city  of 
San  Francisco,  is  now  located.  More  than  five-sixths  of  the  pres- 
ent population  of  California  is  to  be  found  in  the  northern  half  of 
the  State. 

In  view  of  this  the  question  very  naturally  arises,  whether  San 
Francisco  possesses  in  fact  the  natural  advantages  necessary  to 
render  it  the  leading  maritime  city  on  the  Pacific?  The  answer  is 
not  a  very  difficult  one  to  make.  As  a  Port  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  section  of  country  immediately  dependant  upon  it,  it  will 


*  Thero  are  two  Passes  of  which  no  mention  has  been  made,  vi7 :  Ebbet's, 
ritnated  due  east  nearly  from  San  Francisco,  and  Noble's,  about  100  miles  to 
the  north,  neither  of  which  can  reasonably  be  supposed  to  be  as  fovorable  as  the 
Tejon,  or  even  Walker's  Pass,  cither  as  to  elevation  or  accessibility. 


173 


always  possess  very  considerable  importance.  As  the  terminus  of 
a  through  route  to  the  Atlantic  States,  its  position  is  inferior  to  that 
of  San  Diego,  the  latter  being  over  400  miles  nearer  to  the  Colo- 
rado, with  a  summit,  in  the  San  Bernardino  Eange,  of  only  3,000 
feet  in  elevation  to  be  overcome. 

So  long,  however,  as  there  are  other  points  more  favorably  situ- 
ated in  relation  to  the  foreign  and  internal  commerce  of  the  Pacific 
coast,  neither  San  Diego  nor  San  Francisco  can  control  that  com- 
merce. 

The  points  referred  to  are  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  and  the 
Straits  of  De  Fuca.  From  either  of  these  can  be  established  the 
BL^ortest  and  best  communication  with  the  great  cities  of  Eastern 
Asia,  and  from  these  points  only  can  a  direct  and  easy  access  be 
had  to  a  vast  and  fertile  interior, — an  interior  which  embraces  the 
wide  valley  of  the  Columbia,  unequalled  in  extent  and  productive- 
ness, on  our  Pacific  coast,  and  which  opens  naturally  and  easily 
into  that  of  the  Missouri,  and  with  the  latter  and  the  St.  liawrence 
system,  affording  facilities  for  a  chain  of  inland  communication 
across  the  continent  unequalled  in  character  and  importance  by 
any  other  practicable  route. 

Notwithstanding  the  advance  which  San  Francisco  has  already 
made  under  the  extraordinary  stimulus  derived  from  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  the  sands  of  the  Sacramento,  it  must  yet  yield  the  palm 
as  a  great  commercial  mart  to  a  more  northern  rival. 

Within  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  or  upon  the  waters  of  De 
Fuca  will  yet  arise  the  Queen  City  of  the  Pacific.  No  concentra- 
tion of  capital,  however  large,  controlled  by  a  corporation  however 
gigantic,  can  prevent  this  result.  The  power  of  the  Government, 
even  if  adversely  directed,  allowing  such  a  supposition  to  be  possi- 
ble, would  be  exerted  in  vain  to  prevent  it. 

Wherever  that  emporium  is  to  be,  whether  at  the  mouth  of  tho 
noble  Columbia  or  on  one  of  the  beautiful  Bays  that  open  out 
upon  tho  Straits  of  De  Fuca,  a  high  destiny  awaits  it.  It  should 
bo  the  ambition  of  all  who  are  instrumental  to  its  growth  to  render 
it  the  model  city  of  the  world.    No  unfriendly  elements  should  be 


174 


allowed  to  mingle  in  and  mar  its  fair  proportions.  It  should  be  in 
all  respects  a  fitting  exponent  of  the  benign  and  elevating  influence 
of  our  fi*ee  institutions,  and  should  occupy  the  very  foremost  place 
among  the  great  cities  of  Christendom,  refl!ecl5iig  upon  the  islea  of 
the  Pacific  and  upon  the  shores  of  Eastern  Asia,  over  which  it  is 
destined  to  have  a  vast  influence,  the  light  of  the  most  improved 
civilization. 

It  should,  in  fine,  possess  socially  and  morally  as  well  as  physi- 
cally, that  solidity  of  structure  and  completeness  in  its  proportions 
which  will  cause  it  to  harmonize  in  beauty  and  in  grandeur,  with 
the  magnificent  scenery  by  which  it  will  be  surrounded. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
imtbodcotioh..... .  ......~ 3 

Oenbral  View. 

PrOTiinent  Ports  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts.  Superiority  of  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca 
compared  with  other  points  on  the  Pacific <5 

New  York  City  the  moat  important  Port  on  the  Atlantic.  Considerations  in  regard  to  the  moat 
ellf^lblc  route ...6 

Shanghai  in  China,  u  central  point  in  respect  to  the  principal  Asiatic  cities.  The  Straits  of  De 
Fuca  in  the  direct  route  from  New  York  to  Shanghai.  The  City  of  Chicago  a  point  in  the 
proposed  route..... - - ...7 

Direct  distance  fVom  Chicago  to  De  Fuca.  The  Great  Bend  of  the  Missouri  a  point  in  the  pro- 
posed route .........8 

Character  of  Bocky  Mountains  at  the  Sources  of  the  Missouri,  and  depression  of  the  Mountain 
Chain  at  that  point. 9 

Estimated  Icngtii  of  roiite  ttom  Chicago.  Portions  completed  and  in  progress,  also  portions 
included  in  existing  acts  of  incorporation .11 

Government  Survey  under  Gov.  Stevens,  and  charter  in  Minnesota ..12 

Gauge  of  Road.    Uarbor  and  Depot  accommodations  at  Chicago..... . 13 

Description  o»  proposed  route,  character  ce  Surface,  etc. 

Elevation  of  Lake  Michigan  at  Chicago ...14 

Character  of  country  between  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Mississippi.    Its  general  elevation. 

Character  of  line  from  Janesville  to  Madison ...16 

Character  of  lino  west  of  Madison.    Approach  to  the  Mississippi  at  La  Crosse.    Interior  route 

from  Madison 18 

Character  of  the  river  route  tmm  La  Crosse.    Proposed  point  of  crossing  the  Mississippi  at 

the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony 17 

Course  of  the  line  and  chaructor  of  the  surface  from  the  Mississiippi  to  the  Rod  river  of  the 

North.    The  Hauteurs  des  terres 18 

Crossing  of  Red  river.    Inclination  of  its  channel.    Level  character  of  its  valley ...19 

Elevation  of  Cotcau  du  Missouri  and  of  Fort  Pierre  on  Missouri  river ..20 

Inclination  of  channel  of  Missouri,  from  mouth  of  Yellow  Stone  to  Its  junction  with  the  Miss's- 

alppi 21 

Eiitimated  elevation  of  Missouri  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone  and  ut  Fort  Mutulan.    Near 

approach  of  Mouse  river  to  the  Missouri ..... .22 

Canal  practicable  from  the  Upper  Missouri  lo  the  St.  Peters  river  and  to  Lake  Superior ;  also 

to  James  and  Rod  rivers.    Character  of  the  Missouri  above  the  Yellow  Stone.... 23 

Diinensions  of  Yellow  Stuno  and  Missouri  rivers.    Estimated  elevation  of  the  Missouri  at  the 

foot  of  the  Great  Falls 24 

Descriptions  of  Lewis  and  Clark  conflnned  by  Culbertsun.... ....26 

Character  of  pro|)osod  Road  fl'om  Fort  Mandan  to  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri 26 

Description  of  the  Fulls.    Extent  of  navigation  above  the  Fails.    Crossing  of  Lewis  and  Clark 

to  Salmon  river  and  Clark's  river 27 

Return  of  Lewis  and  Clark.    Lewis  Pass ...28 

Jounial  of  Capt.  Lewis  from  Clark's  river  to  the  Missouri 29 

Estimated  elevation  of  main  summit  of  Rocky  Mountains,  and  dei^cent  of  ground  on  each 

side.    Gate  of  Mountains 33 

Circumstances  indicative  of  a  Low  elevation  of  Lewis  Puss.    Character  of  the  Yellow  Stone 

river. 33 

Pass  trom  the  Jefi'urson  to  tlie  Salmon  river.    Character  of  the  latter  river.... . ...S6 

Ctark'a  Pass.    Its  probable  elevation.    Other  Passes  through  the  Mountains ...30 

Vugiitation  of  the  Mountain  Passes.    Similarity  of  the  Flora  of  the  valleys  of  the  Columbia, 

Missouri  and  Suskatshawan.... 30 

Character  of  the  route  across  the  Main  Summit,  and  of  Clark's  Hivur  valley,  and  the  vulluy  of 

the  Columbia.    Elevation  of  the  latter 40 

Passage  of  the  Caseado  Range  and  descent  to  the  Pacific 44 

Estimate  of  cost  of  the  proposed  Road 47 

Clihatb,  Soil  and  Pbodcctions. 

Agricultural  and  Mineral  resources,  and  climate  of  Northern  Illinois  and  of  Wisconsin 50 

tllnnnesota,  character  and  elevatlou  of  its  suriUco,  similarity  of  its  productions  to  those  of  New 

England.. 61 

Climate  of  MUuicsota.    Isothermal  lino  of  50^  F.    Ita  course  across  the  Continent 66 

Isothermal  lines  of  45*' F.  and  60°  F - 66 

Climate  and  productions  of  the  Upper  Mis'ouri  valley 6) 

Oharucler  of  the  Sa^katshawan  valley  and  of  Clark's  river  valley ....68 

Mission  Station  of  St,  Ignatius.    Fisberieson  the  Columbia.    Climate.    Cuhcade  Mountains fi6 

Mild  character  of  tlie  climate  on  tbePaciflc    Soil  oud  productioiw. 08 

m 


166 

HiVKRALS.                                                                                                           Pajre- 
Lead,  Copper  and  Iron  of  Wisconsin 71 

Salt  In  Minnesotii,  Ooal  in  the  Upper  Missouri  and  Saatcutuhnwan  valleys 72 

Granite,  Sandstone,  and  Limosto  lo  in  the  Upper  Missouri  valley 73 

Lead,  and  probably  Piatina  bet- /eon  the  Rocky  and  Cascade  Mountains. 74 

Bituminous  Coal  on  the  waters  of  the  Straits  of  De  Fuca,  and  Vancouvers  Island 75 

Obstructions  from  snows. 

Laws  which  (govern  the  fall  of  snow  and  rain 77 

Actual  fikU  of  lain  and  snow  in  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota ..80 

Depth  of  snow  in  tno  valley  of  the  Upper  Missouri 81 

Sources  of  the  Upper  Missouri  never  much  swollen  by  spring  floods. 83 

Snow  in  Lewis  Pass ......84 

Clark's  river  open  in  February.    Snows  on  Cascade  Range ..86 

Obstructions  from  snows  more  serious  in  more  southern  latitudes................ .88 

Termini  ok  the  pacific  and  on  thb  lakes. 

Straits  of  Do  Fuca  and  waters  connected  therewith, 00 

Mouth  of  Columbia '. 92 

Satt  Francisco 03 

San  Diego. 94 

Ports  in  Eastern  Asia , 06 

Isthmus  Canal  and  Railroads.... ..........................96 

Route  ft-oin  Do  Fuca  to  China ...07 

Termini  on  Lake  Superior .. 08 

Termini  on  Lake  Michigan . 00 

Future  prospects  of  Chicago 100 

Cheap  transportation  on  the  Lakes  uiul  the  Canals  of  New  York.    Value  of  property  trans- 
ported animal  ly 101 

Kavigabie  connections  with  the  proposed  Road,  and  navigable  ji^haracter  of  the  Missouri  river.102 

Uydraulic  power  and  attractions  of  tlie  Falls  of  the  Missouri 103 

Comparison  of  Routes, 

Mr.  Whitney's  Route.    Bighorn  Mountains 105 

South  Pass  Route,  its  character,  4'e 108 

General  topograi>hical  (lcscri|>tion  of  the  country  between  the  South  Pass  route  and  the  Mexi- 
can boundary. ,. 110 

Valley  of  the  Great  Colorado,  its  desceiii,  &c 112 

Sierra  Nevada  Mounta'iis  and  Coast  Range 113 

The  "Great  Basin."    Its  desert  character,  &c ..114 

Character  of  the  country  at  the  mouth  of  the  Coluriido,  a>id  between  that  river  and  the  Uocky 

Mountains. 117 

Quantity  of  water  flowing  in  the  Dei  Norte,  tlio  Gilu  and  the  Colorado  rivers 121 

Height  of  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  diflicuity  of  passing  them... ..122 

Route  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Walker  and  Tojoii  Passes .123 

Satimatcd  distance  from  San  Francisco  to  St.  Loui.s  and  to  Memphis.. 124 

Estimate  of  distances  on  the  Southern  route \ ....... .125 

Blovation  of  the  Mountain  Passes  noar  the  Upper  Del  Norte  valley 127 

Elevation  of  Main  Summit  on  most  soutliern  route. ............ 120 

Considerations  in  re.?pocts  to  cost  of  Central  and  Soutliern  routes . 131 

Considerations  in  fuvor  of  tlie  most  S'liilherii  routes.. ........ 134 

Relative  interest  of  States  cast  of  thj  Mislssippi  in  the  Southern  and  Northern  routes. 135 

Relation  of  Sun  Francisco  to  Southern  routes 133 

Connection  of  California  with  Oregon  and  Washington.    Northern  route  to  California 130 

General  Remarks. 

Journal  of  j  ewis  and  Clark.    Its  character . ..148 

Comparison  of  summits  and  mode  of  estimating  distances ... .... ..145 

Considerations  respecting  cost  and  time  of  constructing  northern  route..... 140 

Oovornmont  aid.    Tlio  Northern  the  best  emigrant  route .147 

Productiveness  of  Railroads.    Nearness  of  the  Northern  route  to  the  irtemational  boundary 

no  objection 140 

Railway  improvements  in  the  Canadas ........151 

Increase  of  the  population  of  the  United  States.    Western  moveinout  of  do 15!) 

Population  of,  and  commercial  relations  with  the  Cunadus 154 

Supplement  to  the  Second  Edition. 

Mea.<!uremoiit  of  Lewis  Pass  on  Northern  route  by  Lieut.  Saxton..... 157 

Elevation  of  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone  river  by  Ckv.  Stevens 158 

Elevation  of  the  Ootcau  dii  Missouri.    Arrival  of  Gov.  Stevens  on  the  Pacific.    Ills  opinion  of 

the  general  character  of  the  Northern  route. —%- .....150 

Probable  maximum  griidicnt  in  piitsing  the  Rocky  MoiiiitHins  on  the  Northern  route 160 

Measurement  of  the  Coulmtope  Pass  at  the  lioud  of  the  Del  Norte.    Expeditiou  of  Supl.  Beale. 

Description  of  the  Country  from  tlie  Cochatopo  Pass  to  the  Califbrnia  Mountains 162 

Kipodition  ft'om  San  Francisco  to  meet  Sii|)t.  Beale.    Description  of  Walker's  Pass  &c 164 

Oapt.  jr.  Walker's  account  of  the  Colorado  valley 165 

Capt  Aubrey's  exploration  (Voni  tlio  Tojoii  Pass  to  Albuquenpie.    Character  of  the  country... 169 

Cnpt.  Marcy's  opinion  of  the  route  from  Memphis.......... 107 

Commissioner  Burtlott's  dcfcription  of  the  country  near  the  Alcxxiin  boundary 168 

Measurement  of  PasMS  In  the  Sierra  Nevada  Moimtainu  by  Lieut.  Williamson.. 170 

Lieut.  Stonehain's  description  of  the  Tulare  valley.    Character  of  Soutliern  Califbrnia. 171 

San  Francisco  as  a  coniniurciul  mart  compared  with  bun  Diego,  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 

and  Straits  of  Dc  Fuca 173 

Superiority  in  position  of  the  latter.    Considerations  rolutlng  to  the  <\ituro  growth  ol  the  em- 

poHum  of  the  Pacific ITS 


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